Hyrule Academy
by WhiteXIII
Summary: Zelda never thought about love in her high school career. That is, until she met her best friend's older brother, Link. And to make matters worse, strange things are starting to happen. As if trying to graduate high school wasn't hard enough! ZELINK. AU.
1. Prologue

**WhiteXIII**: Alright! I finally have my first story up! I hope you guys like it! Also, kudos to MangaMaid4545 for helping me out BIG TIME! I have a terrible time starting. So... Cookie for MangaMaid!

Rated T for violence and some blood... Plus Ganondorf, the jerk.

P.S. I do not own the Legend of Zelda in any way, shape or form, except for the game I bought! All Copyrights belong to respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended. Don't sue me! I'm innocent! I'm just borrowing characters for a non-profit story!

Anyways, ENJOY!

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><p>Prologue<p>

Mr. Ganondorf Dragmire stood watching his students racing around the gym's perimeter, a glare fixed upon his face. How could have someone of his caliber falling to the status of a _gym teacher_? Not that being in the school wasn't important to his plans, of course, but why of all places did that imbecile of a principle send him to watch over the brats as if they were important? For all Ganondorf cared, they could do the world a favor and run themselves into heat stroke or exhaustion or, best of all, death.

As he stood watching, he noted with aggravation as his three least favorite students passed by him. Midna Nightshado, a Twili who found it incredibly hilarious to be a smart mouth, Zelda Hykarin, the "perfect" daughter of his prat of his boss, and worst of all, Aryll Alavryn, the sister of that lousy, high-and-mighty, good-for-nothing dirt-bag, Link. If only he could… But he wouldn't.

No, his job was much too important to throw away over some meaningless child, even if she was related that… that… Regardless, his plans were set, if only he could find it. But the school had shown nothing of where it could be. Well, once he did find it, everything would change. Everything would change indeed.

His thoughts were interrupted by Midna as she said, "Do you two see that smile on Dragmire's face? I wonder what he's so happy about."

Zelda looked at him. "I don't know…" She turned to Aryll. "Anyways, you were saying?"

Aryll said, "Well, I was saying that I'm a bit worried about Link. Last night, he tried to pull a 'me' and 'Grandma' and tried to bake garlic shoes rather than garlic bread."

"So, by a 'you' he burned it?" Midna asked with a sly grin.

Aryll turned a slight shade of pink. "I do _not _burn things. They incinerate by themselves!"

"Regardless," Zelda interrupted, "He burned shoes for dinner?"

Aryll shook her head. "No, Colin stopped him before they went in the oven. And Lily asked if it was some kind of weird cake…"

Midna shook her head. "I still don't buy it. We've been to your house several times and I've never even met him!"

"I told you, he works!" Aryll said, picking up her pace slightly.

"All the time?" Midna asked, skeptically. "What is he? A workaholic?"

"Not by choice," Aryll said defensively. She looked away, frowning.

Zelda, sensing to change the subject, said, "Well, I think he's a great guy."

Midna laughed, "Oh, so would you date him?"

Zelda blushed, "MIDNA! Stop making this about my love life!"

"You mean non-existent love life?"

"Midna! You sound like Ruto! Just because I decided not to date, everyone thinks it's ok to tease me about it! Besides, he's a college graduate."

"A _recent_ college grad. Meaning, he got out of school with a _degree_. Besides, Aryll said he finished high school early. He could be, like, 23! Perfect age for you. You like smart guys, right?"

Aryll turned to them, frowning, "Midna, you do realize as a self-respecting sister, I find it very disturbing you are trying set Zelda up with my brother?"

"But wouldn't you like it if she was your sister-in-law?"

"MIDNA!" Both girls yelled.

"Oh, come on! You know that I'm just trying to help Zelda not be such a nerd all of the time. All school and no crushing? What kind of life is that? And _I'm_ not that focused on boys. Besides, we all know that deep down, Zelda," Midna said giving her a pointed smirk, "you are a hopeless romantic."

Zelda glared. "I was right. You do sound like Ruto!"

Midna glared back. "Do not!"

Intending to continue the debate, Zelda opened her mouth for a healthy retort when a small, painful gasp escaped instead. "Ow!"

The three girls came to a sudden halt, Midna and Aryll blocking their friend from view of most in the gymnasium. Aryll, concerned, said, "Is it your hand again?"

Zelda nodded and Midna turned, shouting across the Gym. "YO! Teach!" Once she had gotten Mr. Dragmire's attention she yelled, "Zelda's hand is hurting again! We're going to the nurse!"

Ganondorf grunted in acknowledgement as the three girls left through the Gym's double doors before grinning to himself. "It'll be all right, Zelda," he muttered. "Soon, you won't have to worry about that any longer."

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><p>I also update faster with reviews... And faster than MangaMaid.<p>

**MangaMaid4545**: HEY!

**WhiteXIII**: It's true! ... Or at least it will be. Review please!

Edited: 11/22/12


	2. Chapter 1

**WhiteXIII Notes**: I will typically update after a month (sometimes faster, depending on how fast and you guys), but you guys were so awesome with all the reviews that I couldn't wait any longer! So thanks to: Laughers song, Jazzmatazz2000, Radius Flame, staythenight, violink4524, sakura dragonee the dragon, dark roses992 and ilovedsi for reviewing, favoriting/alerting (both author and story on both). You guys rock and made me very happy! I'm also going to have to get a cookie jar for my co-author/editor MangaMaid4545, 'cuz she's great!

**Jazzmatazz2000**: I'm glad that you like the story so far and I appreciate your enthusiasm. And, as far as getting an account is concerned, that would be AWESOME! I'd love to hear more from you.

P.S. If you are a new reader or are not familiar with all of the characters mentioned in the chapter, there will be a character index type of thing at the bottom to tell you which characters are from which games.

ENJOY!

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

_**Day: Wednesday**_

**PERIOD: 1. CLASS: AP History. ROOM: 317. TEACHER: Madame Farore.**

Zelda Hykarin gasped as she ran through the gates and onto the grounds of Hyrule Academy. A white metal fence surrounded the school grounds. The grounds were filled with the greenest grass Zelda had ever seen and trees were rooted everywhere along the stone pathway that led to the front of the building. The school was more of a miniature castle, being made of stone and having spires here and there. It was beautiful to look at, and Zelda often did, but the massive, impressive air it gave off was not very enjoyable when she was running late.

The breeze whipped crisply through Zelda's hair. She would have stopped to enjoy the feeling of the last bits of summer hanging in the green school grounds, but today was different. Clambering up the stairs, she pushed the front doors and ran through the halls towards Madame Farore's class. She was running late since her alarm clock hadn't woken her up. The only reason she had woken up at all was because her Triforce, the Triforce of Wisdom, had burned. She zoomed past students who were either skipping class, or running late, just as she was.

Suddenly as she rushed, she hit something or someone. All her papers flew out of her hands. She realized it was a someone she had hit as things fell down that Zelda was positive weren't hers.

"Oh my gosh!" she said exasperated as she scrambled to grab her papers, "I am so sorry!"

A male voice chuckled. Zelda looked up to see the face of what looked to be another senior year student. He said, "It's ok. It seems I was in the way. Here."

Zelda looked to see that he had picked up all of her things. She thanked him without looking at him and rushed off to class.

'_Stupid, unreliable, lazy clock!_' Zelda thought as she walked into the classroom. She glanced at the classroom's clock, which was right next to the door. It read 7:44, one minute until class started. _'Lucky!'_ Zelda thought, _'It was just luck. I shouldn't push it so often!'_

Zelda looked for a seat, when she saw two of her friends, Aryll and Midna, waving over at her. They had saved her a seat. Zelda's grin almost reached her pointed Hylian ears and her violet eyes sparkled. It was at times like this she realized how lucky she was to have Aryll and Midna's friendship and how much she loved them.

Aryll Alavryn was a quiet girl, a Hylian, like Zelda, the only difference was Aryll had blue eyes. As a young girl, however, Aryll was much different. She had been very tomboyish, playing pirates and climbing trees. But school had changed her outlook on the world. Hylians were picked on by the more dominant race, humans. Their joking and teasing about how freakish Hylian ears looked turned many of the said race toward hiding their ears. However, Aryll, Zelda, and a few others Hylians had the courage not to. So in turn, they had taken the brunt of the teasing. By the time the humans had stopped, Aryll had become a quiet girl to the world, hiding herself except when she was at home.

Midna Nightshado, however, was a vividly flamboyant Twili. Where Zelda and Aryll had blonde hair, Midna had flame orange hair. She also had ruby red eyes and a bluish tint to her very pale skin. Twili were one of the rarest of races. They hid themselves in many places, according to Midna, waiting for when they would be allowed to exist again in society. In fact, Midna was the first Twili to be accepted at Hyrule Academy, which was a huge step for the Twili. Midna's personality was, as so eloquently put by Zelda, a girl trying to find her place in a world that didn't want to accept her. Midna had a front she put up when she met new people or people tried to bully her or her friends. Zelda remembered how Midna had acted towards everyone on her first day. Midna would act all tough and force people to help her to get her help for what they wanted done. But, she also had a sweet side to her. With her friends, Midna would ask for help, not force it. She was also very understanding and protective.

Aryll and Zelda would never forget the day they met. Even though Midna didn't know them at that point in time, she stopped a bully from tormenting Aryll. Zelda had never seen someone so terrified. Whenever that story was brought up, the girls all shared a good laugh.

Bullies were everywhere. Even in prestigious schools like Hyrule Academy. Most students that attended were either rich or had academic scholarships from past schools. Zelda, being the principal's daughter and already having excellent grades and who aced the entrance exam easily, had no problem getting in. Midna and Aryll, however, didn't have it so easily.

Midna was on a kind of foreign exchange program since she had gotten a scholarship to the Academy. She was supposed to be living with a foster family, but wouldn't take her in after discovering she was a Twili. Not too soon after, Midna's family was in an accident and passed away, but because she was eighteen, she hadn't been sent home or placed into an orphanage. She now worked to support herself. Both Zelda and Aryll had offered to take her in, but she refused, seeing as Zelda's father wasn't too ecstatic to have her in the school, and seeing how she had not met Aryll's guardian. "Besides," she had said, "They have enough problems as things are."

Aryll had also earned a scholarship with her excellent grades and her flying colors through the entrance exam. If she hadn't, then there was no way she'd be attending the Academy. Too many bad things had happen to her little broken family for her to be able to afford tuition, but beyond Zelda's understanding, she was still happy after the accident.

Since most students were rich, scholarship students like Midna and Aryll were often looked down upon. Zelda didn't care if she was considered to be at 'the bottom of the food chain' as many people said. She, Midna and Aryll had been best friends for years. Nothing was going to change that. Besides, being who she was, many students despised her regardless, saying that she had a 'free ride' and such.

School was difficult, but completely worth it with friends like the two of them. The only problem… school uniforms. Everyone had to wear button-up shirts. The three of them had often discussed why girls always had to wear skirts as a uniform rule, while guys got to wear pants. Boys usually wore black pants with a matching, long-sleeved and a black button up shirt, the typical fall/winter uniform. The only plus for the girls, their outfits had color. Granted, all of them had navy blue skirts and a blazer with their black stockings and shoes, but color was color.

Zelda took her seat. She saw Aryll was working on an extra credit assignment for Ancient Runes class. Midna was rushing through the homework given out a couple days ago by Madame Farore. It was about half done. Zelda chuckled quietly. Midna always did this, but always managed to keep her grades up.

"Hey Zel," asked Midna, "What should I put for Question 35?"

"Well, what does it say?" asked Zelda, getting her books out for History as the bell rang.

"Okay, it says 'The Triforce is made is of Power, Wisdom, and Courage. Circle the diagram the represents where each part of the Triforce is supposed to be and write where the Triforce is.' Now, I know the Triforce is in the Sacred Realm, but I can't remember how the Triforce is put together."

Aryll looked up, put her hand out, palm up, over Zelda's desk. She sighed, "Midna, give it here."

"Why?" Midna asked looking at Aryll's upturned palm.

"I'll finish it for you," Aryll said, still looking at her extra credit.

"Really!" Midna asked.

"Really, but afterwards Zelda and I are going to tutor you until you know this by heart!" Aryll said, "Deal?"

Midna nodded and handed over her paper. In about 15 seconds, Aryll had finished and was back to working on her Ancient Runes. Midna's mouth dropped in shock. "How'd you do that?" she asked in surprise.

"What?" Aryll said, confused looking up from her paper.

"_That._ You finished that in like 15 seconds!" Midna said shocked.

"Oh. Well, this is my favorite class," Aryll said, going back to her extra credit, "Though, Madame Farore is late."

Zelda looked at the clock. It read 8:10. Aryll was right. Madame Farore was late. Just then, Principal Hykarin, Zelda's father, walked in. He looked exhausted. He came up to the front of the classroom.

"Good morning class," he spoke as if he was a little out of breath.

"Good morning Principal Hykarin," the room chanted back dully.

"Well, I have some bad news," he started.

Midna frowned. And Zelda could almost hear her whispering, "Not Mr. Rauru. Not Mr. Rauru…" Mr. Rauru Lucem was an older gentleman and, secretly, many students hoped he would retire soon because would often trail off in his History lectures. He was a good guy, but… Gently put, he was better than any sleeping pill Zelda had heard of.

Principal Hykarin continued, "Madame Farore, unfortunately, has broken her leg. Apparently, she had a bad fall down some stairs."

Aryll sighed sadly. Zelda and Midna did too. Madame Farore was their favorite teacher. She was very kind to the students. Especially Midna. Most teachers turned a blind eye to Midna and always graded her much harder because of her race. Madame Farore believed that everyone should have an equal chance. Also, she kept any secret given to her by a student and didn't let it cloud her opinion of them.

The door suddenly opened and a Hylian man in his early twenties walked in to the room as Principal Hykarin was speaking. He had shaggy blonde hair, deep sky blue eyes, and his ears were pierced with very small, blue, hoop earrings that Zelda recognized as what Sheikah men wore. Who was this guy? Zelda guessed he had run in at the last moment by the way he was dressed. He wore blue jeans and a T-shirt. On his hands were brown leather gloves that reached halfway up his forearm. No leather strayed pass his palm to cover his fingers. He shot a small grin at the class. Several girls giggled. However, not all were instantly taken to him. Aryll, for example, sunk into her chair.

"Who's the new kid?" a Gerudo student interrupted rudely as she looked at the Hylian's jeans and t-shirt. She flattened her skirt as if trying not to catch his lack of fashion sense.

The principal turned to find the blonde man. "Oh," he said, glancing down at his watch. "You don't waste any time, do you?"

The boy smiled sheepishly. "Sorry for my appearance. I got here as soon as I could."

The principal nodded. "I understand I rushed you, but please be in the proper dress attire tomorrow." The class looked on in confusion as the Hylian nodded.

The principal finally turned back to the class and said, "But, not to worry. I've found a replacement for the time that Madame Farore will be recovering."

Zelda heard Midna instantly begin to groan, "Not a substitute. Not a substitute." Every time a substitute or a different teacher came in, Midna was often scowled at them and hated every second of class.

"He was a student here a few years ago," Principal Hykarin said, unaware of the mild drama unfolding in the back of the room. "So, without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, your substitute, Mr. Link Alavryn."

The Gerudo that had spoken up a moment ago instantly fell silent and looked at her desk as many students exchanged looks. This was their substitute?

Midna took a brief look at him before rolling her eyes and staring at the wall, which she found much more enjoyable.

"Well, Mr. Alavryn, I leave them to you. Good luck."

Mr. Alavryn nodded and as soon as the Principal left, he let out a breath. "Phew," he said, "I thought he'd decide to stay and watch me."

The class laughed. Zelda felt the wind knocked out of her. He had the same voice as the man she had ran into today. This was bad. She had been partially rude and ran into a teacher!

"Well, hello everyone! I'm Link Alavryn. Call me Link." He took a piece of chalk and wrote his name on the blackboard.

Zelda froze. Alavryn? Wait… It couldn't be. Zelda stole a glance towards Aryll, who was still working on her extra credit.

"He writes his name on the board?" asked Midna in disbelief, placing her elbow on the table and resting her head on her hand, "You've got to be joking!"

Zelda looked nervously at her friend. By her tone of voice, it was obvious Midna didn't like the substitute very much. Aryll, however, wasn't looking at the teacher. In fact, she seemed very interested in her desk at the moment.

Zelda asked, "Aryll? Is something bothering you?"

Aryll didn't answer.

Zelda shrugged. This guy couldn't possibly be related to Aryll… She turned back toward the substitute teacher, who had begun to speak again.

"All right class, I'll tell you a little bit about myself," Link started. "I am a graduate of Hyrule Academy, I usually sub for the students at the Hyrule Elementary, and…" He trailed off suddenly, noticing two Zoran boys whispering in the class. He walked over and said, "Hello boys, care to share what is so important that you have to interrupt the class?"

Both boys began to gurgle at Link, in what Zelda knew to be some form of the Zoran language. Link raised his eyebrows at the two boys, giving the impression he had no idea what they were saying. The boys began to laugh scornfully at the substitute.

"Actually boys," Link said, "I don't live in a box, I live in a house, believe it or not. Principal Hykarin just caught me while I was going to run errands." He smiled at them pleasantly before returning to the front of the classroom.

Aryll suddenly sank low into her seat. The boys and the whole class stared at Link, dumbfounded.

"If you had let me finish, I would have told you that I am fluent in many languages. Any other edifying comments or questions?" Link asked the class, smiling.

One girl, a Zora, raised her hand.

"Yes?" Link smiled at her.

"Do you have a girlfriend or wife?" she asked, turning bright red. Several girls tittered at the question, while others seemed to be sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for the answer.

"Nope," he happily answered, "I've been happily single ever since college. But I live with my grandmother, my adopted nephew and niece, and my younger sister."

"I feel bad for whoever that is," Midna said sourly, looking around at every face in the class.

A Rito boy raised his hand quickly and spoke without waiting. "How old_ are_ you?"

Link paused, looking a bit hesitant. Zelda bit her lip, figuring that if he was that hesitant about answering the question, it might be because he was very close in age to his students, which would mean a lot of girls wouldn't have a problem flirting out right.

Link finally took a breath and answered, "Twenty-seven."

Everyone looked around at each other. The girls looked slightly disappointed by his answer, but Zelda gave a silent sigh of relief. These questions were beginning to scare her. Zelda looked straight at Aryll as her head suddenly shot up confused. She shook her head and went back to work on her worksheet.

A Kokiri boy raised his hand.

"Yes?" Link said.

"What's with the earrings?"

Link pointed to his earrings "These, are a Sheikah rite of passage for a boy into manhood. Before we went to my family, my sister and I were in the foster care of a Sheikah couple, I had my seventeenth birthday at the time, so for my birthday they gave me these. These are very special to any Sheikah raised man; they prove his adulthood to the rest of Sheikah society. So, I want to make one thing clear," he said taking on a serious tone, "If I catch any person teasing a Sheikah about wearing these, I will give them a referral. That also goes for if I hear any teasing for any differences about a person about their race. Are we clear?" he leaned forward on his desk, his mouth in a firm line.

The class nodded vigorously. Link had made his point very clear. They knew he wasn't kidding. Zelda glanced at Aryll, who was busy trying to burying herself into her worksheet. Maybe it was possible that they were related. The look on his face was almost identical to Aryll's face when she was that serious, and with the exact same shade of blonde hair, and similar blue eyes they looked way too similar to _not_ be related. Plus, there was the fact that Aryll's older brother was named Link and Link wasn't a popular name. But, for all she knew, there could be two Link Alavryns.

"So then," Link grinned, standing up again, "Now that that's settled, any more questions?"

"I got one," Midna said under her breath, "Why are you such a dork?"

Aryll glared at Midna, which confused Midna to no end.

"Why do you have to be so sour about him? For all you know, he could be related to one of your best friends!" Zelda said in a hushed voice so that Link wouldn't hear them talking. It was better not to say her suspicions out flat. Midna wouldn't take very kindly to that.

"I highly doubt it! Besides, he's just a stupid substitute, Zel. Why do you care at all?"

Zelda bit her lip in annoyance. Why was Midna acting like this? Aryll didn't seem to hear them as she moved on to her 49th question.

One Goron girl raised her hand.

"Yes?"

"Do you mind telling us why you were in foster care?" she asked.

"Mm…" Link said thinking his answer through. "Well, let's just say something happened to my parents that's not a happy memory for me or my sister."

Bingo! That confirmed it for Zelda. Aryll had mentioned that when she was younger that her parents had passed away in an accident. She hadn't given specifics about what had happened, but every one of Aryll's friends knew that she was rather touchy about talking about her parents. It apparently was a really bad memory.

Link had to be Aryll's big brother if something had happened to his parents as well. Granted, his name and similar appearance to Aryll had been a bit of dead giveaway. There was also the fact he was a college graduate. He had to be. Anyone who taught in the Academy had to have a college degree. Zelda frowned slightly. But Aryll had never mentioned him being a substitute teacher. Did he not have a teaching degree?

Link continued, "Are there anymore questions? No? Well then, let's have a 'get to know you day' since I'll most likely be here for a while."

"This guy is ridiculous," Midna said annoyed, "He's treating us like little kids. Writing his name on the chalkboard, answering stupid questions, get to know you days? What kind of a stupid sub are we stuck with?" Midna grumbled to herself.

Zelda wanted to say something to Midna, but she knew that it was best for her not to say anything at all, especially when Midna got this agitated.

"I'll call your name and you tell me something about yourself. Let's see… Alavryn, Aryll."

Zelda looked at her friend, wondering if she was paying attention, but the look on Midna's face easily said, 'I hate subs. You took the place of my favorite teacher. Go dig yourself into a hole.' No matter what Zelda or Link did or said, she wasn't going to listen.

As Aryll stood, everyone turned to stare at her. She began to speak. "I'm Aryll A-A-A-Alavryn. Um… I like the Ancient Legends of Hyrule."

Link nodded, giving Aryll an encouraging smile and Aryll sat down. She sunk low in her chair and began to work on her extra credit to hide. People kept staring at Aryll, even though she wouldn't look them in the face. Some even stood on their chairs to look at her. Apparently Zelda wasn't the only one who caught onto their last name.

"HEY!" Midna snapped, "What's the matter with you? You act as if you've never seen or heard of Aryll before! That's funny, because Zelda and I have! Or do you just do that when you see a Hylian?"

Everyone instantly turned away from Aryll, and went back to looking at the teacher. Link smiled as he saw Midna and Zelda start to comfort his little sister. He knew how timid she could be when given too much attention. He went back to order and called the next name on the list.

"Bourghmyre, Demetrius."

A Goron boy stood, and on it went. Until it reached….

"Hykarin, Zelda."

Zelda stood. She said, "I'm Zelda Hykarin…" She thought to herself, '_Now what do I say?_' She stood quietly for a few minutes, trying to figure out that out. She closed her eyes, trying to concentrate.

Aryll had already taken what she was going to say. What else could she say? _'Hi, I'm Zelda, and I have the Triforce of Wisdom!_' Yeah, that would go over real well.

Suddenly, Zelda's right hand, the hand that held her Triforce, began to itch. Zelda, unaware of it, began to scratch at the itchy, burning feeling that was dancing across her hand. The itchy feeling flared up, and Zelda looked at her hand confused, as she scratched at it more fiercely.

As she looked at it, the Triforce started to glow. She covered her hand and said, urgently, "And I need to go to the nurse!"

Both Midna and Aryll looked warily at Zelda. They knew from how Zelda was acting what was going on. Zelda's Triforce was acting up… again. It always did this in Gym, but here too?

Midna stood up abruptly and said, "I'm Midna Nightshado! And I like taking my friends to the nurse! I'll take her Mr. Alavryn… sir."

Zelda noted that the substitute cringed slightly before speaking again. "All right," he said, looking after the two girls, "I hope you get feeling better, Miss Hykarin."

**ROOM: Nurse's Office. NURSE: Impa Milonn**

"Well, Zelda," Impa said as she looked at Zelda's right hand. "You did the smart thing by coming to me. If your teacher's substitute had seen this, I don't know how he would have reacted."

"Why not?" Zelda asked as the light from her Triforce faded. It had finally stopped wigging out.

"Well, how many people can you name off have seen this and not reacted?" Impa asked Zelda.

Zelda flinched. Impa was right. When her parents had found out, her mother had practically cried with tears of joy and her father had declared it the happiest day of his life.

"Impa, you're sure that he would have reacted?" Midna asked. "Cause that Link guy doesn't look like he'd freak out."

Impa stopped what she was doing and stared at her, confused. "Link? As in Link Alavryn?"

"Yeah, who else would I be talking about?" Midna asked. She still didn't seem to hear the last name similarity.

Impa began to laugh. "Oh my!" She laughed harder.

"What's so funny?" Zelda asked, now officially confused.

"I've known that boy ever since he walked down these halls himself! I can't believe he's a teacher! With his personality, I would've thought he would've had a better job! I've never known such a wonderful young man! You know, when he was enrolled here, anyone could see that that boy was one of Farore's favorites."

"So what?" Midna asked. "She's nice to everyone!"

"No, Midna," Impa said. "When I say he was one of Farore's favorites, I don't mean Madame Farore. I mean Farore!"

Zelda asked, surprised, "Wait, you mean _the_ Farore? The creator of the Triforce of Courage? And the Oracle of Secrets?"

Impa nodded, "The one and the same."

Then a thought hit Zelda. She asked excitedly, "Does that mean he has the Triforce of Courage?"

"I'm afraid not dear. He was one of Farore's favorites, yes, blessed with courage beyond belief. But, he was not blessed with the Triforce of Courage, I'm afraid. I'm sorry Zelda, but you know as well as I that since the Triforce broke apart several years ago that there haven't been any signs of it..."

Zelda sighed, miserable. She was really hoping to find the Bearer of the Triforce of Courage. Granted, she hadn't found the Bearer of the Triforce of Power either, but the idea of meeting someone who was either powerful enough or power-hungry enough to carry it frightened her a little bit. She was hoping to find the Bearer of the Triforce of Courage before she ventured to go looking for the Bearer of the Triforce of Power. '_Maybe he would have an idea where to find it…_' Zelda wondered absentmindedly.

Just then, the bell to start going to 2nd period rang, jarring Zelda out of her thoughts.

Impa stood up. "Well," she said, "I guess you both better get going to your next class. Have a nice rest of the day girls."

"See ya, Impa!" Midna said as she rushed out of the room.

"Goodbye, Impa," Zelda said.

As she was about to leave, Impa said, "Zelda, try to keep your… … … condition under control today, I don't want you to have to keep coming here. Is that understood?"

Zelda chuckled, "Yes, Ma'am. Bye Impa!"

"Goodbye dear!" Impa called.

As Zelda left the nurse's office she decided to ask Aryll, since they shared 2nd period, about Link. Zelda didn't want to admit it, but he intrigued her. He was like a puzzle or mystery that she felt needed to be solved. She shook her head and sighed. This type of thinking most definitely would not be good for her. And she would never hear the end of it if Aryll or Midna found out.

**PERIOD: 2. CLASS: AP Biology. ROOM: 420. TEACHER: Mr. Shad Studres.**

As Zelda walked in, she saw Aryll sitting alone and reading a book at one of the tables that the classroom had. Each student was to share a table with another student. She slid into the seat next to Aryll. She said, "Hey Aryll!"

Aryll looked up at Zelda. She smiled. "Hey Zelda! How are things?"

"Ok…" Zelda said slowly. She had to be tactful about this to avoid any possible teasings. "What did I miss in class?"

"Well, Link finished getting to know everyone and then it was a free day since we only had about 10 minutes left."

"Oh." Zelda sounded a little disappointed that she had missed out. Free workdays were rare to none in this school, after all.

"Yeah…" Aryll said, agreeing with her friend. Then she said happily, "But I got my Extra Credit done!"

Zelda laughed. "I suppose Mr. Rauru will be pleased."

"I hope so! Link spent all night a couple nights ago trying to teach me the darned things! I'm telling you Zelda, Ancient Runes are evil!"

Zelda's mind went on a confused tangent as to how or why Link would know them when she said, "What! No, they're not!" She smiled. "They're quite easy!"

"So says the Wielder of Wisdom!" Aryll said, teasing Zelda.

Zelda shoved her gently and laughed, "Yes, I do say so!" The two girls sat laughing before lapsing into silence. "Hey Aryll?" Zelda started casually. "I had a question."

"Hmm?" Aryll asked, pulling her books out for Biology.

"Um… do you mind telling me about Link? I'd ask him, but I've never met him before." Her mind wouldn't drop the subject of the Triforce, but first thing's first…

"No, I don't mind. What do you want to know?" Aryll didn't seem to notice as Zelda's hand fidgeted slightly. So far so good.

"Well, I kinda ran into to him and crashed while I was running in the hall… Do you think he'll bring it up?"

"I doubt it. Link isn't a person to hold stuff against people. The only person I imagine he would tease about something like that is Sheik."

"Sheik? You mean Sheik Ryler? As in the famous police officer Sheik Ryler?"

"Yeah… They're best buddies," Aryll said, rolling her eyes at Sheik's name.

"Really?"

"Yeah…"

Okay. Now it was time for business. "Um… Would he know-"

Suddenly, Mr. Shad began, "All right class, let's get started."

Zelda turned away from her friend, slightly annoyed. Now she'd have to wait for her answer.

Mr. Studres was, simply put, nerdy. He was skinny, always wore his socks high and wore big, circle-framed glasses. He always had a book in his hand and was interested in just about anything he could get his hands on. His brown hair was usually parted off to the side slightly with a small piece always curling on his forehead. He was pretty cool and Zelda always found his lectures interesting. He split the Ancient Runes classes with Mr. Rauru.

The Biology teacher continued, "Turn you books to page 132. Today we'll be learning the magnificent and marvelous wonders of Chemical Equilibrium!"

**PERIOD: Lunch. PLACE: Outside. TIME: 11:20. **

Zelda and Aryll had just come from their AP Biology class. The schedule at school was a block schedule, 4 classes each day. They had learned about the "wonders" of Chemical Equilibrium as their teacher, Mr. Shad Studres, had put it. Zelda had just gotten a big headache. They saw their other friends, Malon Equestrin, Nabooru Threftviry, Ruto Aquaduce, Saria Forestian, and Ilia Pelurna, waiting for them at their usual table. Zelda and Aryll sat down.

"Hey gals," chirped Saria, in her happiest of moods. She was having a sub sandwich and salad from Sola's Subs, her favorite eatery. The Kokiri was an exceptionally small race. Each Kokiri was the size of a child, a middle school kid's size, if they were lucky. The school had special mini high school uniforms made just for them. Saria was very shy until she made close friends. She was always gentle and watching out for her friends.

Ruto had brought sushi and was currently munching on it. As a Zora, or as Midna liked to put it 'the fish people race,' Ruto's skin was blue. She also had blue, drape-y fins that fell neatly from her forearms. Ruto was a good person at heart, but she could talk… a lot. She waved. Zelda sat down and brought out a turkey sub and salad also from Sola's and had some freshly squeezed orange juice. Aryll looked at the food and felt her stomach growl.

"Hey, Aryll?" asked Malon, a redheaded human. She had a good heart and was actually on scholarship as well, her family owned Lon Lon Ranch, the best horse breeding farm in all of Hyrule, "Where's your lunch?"

"I forgot to bring money and I didn't grab a lunch from home," Aryll said sadly.

Zelda patted her friend on the back. What a rough day for Aryll. Her favorite teacher was out, her brother was subbing and most of the girls found him quite attractive, which had to be beyond embarrassing, and now, she had forgotten her lunch.

Ilia looked at her, "You sure you didn't forget it on purpose?" Aryll nodded. Ilia sighed, "Good. I thought for a moment you'd start to go out on an eating disorder."

Nabooru glared at Ilia. When Ilia had first met Nabooru, she had been sure that she had an eating disorder. But later, Ilia had found the Gerudos were naturally so thin you could see their ribs.

Ilia, like Malon, was a human. Her hair was short and of a light brown color and her eyes were a bright green. Typically in good spirits and easy to get along with, Ilia could act very adult-like and wouldn't hesitate to scold someone who had done something wrong, especially if someone was being careless or an animal had been hurt. Naturally, she and Malon got along very well in that sense.

Nabooru was similar to Midna in the sense that she hardly ever let people in and that she could seem tougher than she actually was, but she was a lot less of a prankster. Her red hair, which was usually pulled back into a ponytail, preceded her temperament. And, being Gerudo, her skin had the typical deep tan.

Malon decided to change the subject. She asked, "Have any of you had Hyrule History and Legends yet?" All the girls except Ruto and Ilia nodded.

"Why?" asked Ilia, confused as she saw Saria and Nabooru's faces go into dream mode.

"Because the substitute is HOT!" Malon said.

"Hello ladies."

All the girls turned to see Link holding a bag and shake from Skyloft Cafe. He was grinning.

"H-H-H-Hi," Malon breathed turning beet red. She quickly straightened her school uniform and smiled.

Link smiled in response and turned to Aryll. "Aryll, this morning I noticed you forgot your lunch at home and Colin took it this morning. So..." He held out the bag and shake to her. "I picked up a meal for you. I hope you don't mind."

"Thanks Link," she took both and hugged him.

When she sat down, he ruffled her hair. "No problem. I'll see you at home. Okay?"

Aryll nodded, happily rejoicing she had a lunch. She began to look inside the bag. Link grinned and walked off to go eat his own lunch.

When he was gone, Ruto gasped as if she had discovered a scandal, "Aryll, you're living with an older man?" When Zelda began to laugh, Ruto looked indignantly at her. "And what's so funny Miss I'm-Laughing-For-No-Reason!"

"R-R-Ruto," Zelda gasped, "That '_older man_' is Aryll's big brother. They've known each other since Aryll was in diapers!"

Suddenly Malon, Ruto, Saria, Ilia, and Nabooru were all looking at Aryll with shock. Aryll began to sink.

"No way," Ruto said, "No way! That's your brother! Shut up!"

"It's just Link…" Aryll said, confused. Her blonde hair fell to cover her face. "He's always been like that."

"Wow," Saria said dreamily.

"I don't see the big deal…" Aryll stated, "Sure, he may be the substitute, but-"

"WHAT!" Ilia and Ruto shrieked. Another thing, Ruto and Ilia could be totally boy crazy.

"Hey guys," Midna sighed, carrying a tray as she sat down besides Aryll.

It would be best if Zelda stayed out of this conversation, so she whispered to Midna, "Detention?" Midna only nodded in reply as she dug into her lunch. The previous conversation continued.

Malon nodded. "That was the substitute for Madame Farore. Hey Zel? What's up? You've been so quiet over there."

"Just thinking," Zelda replied.

"About Aryll's smoking hot brother?" asked Ruto.

"NO!" Zelda blushed.

"Ooooh! Zelda's blushing!" Ilia exclaimed.

"KNOCK IT OFF!" Zelda yelled, kicking Ruto and Ilia.

"OW!" Both girls shrieked in unison.

"I was just thinking, that's it's awkward that we've all been to Aryll's house, but none of us have seen Link. Why is that Aryll?" asked Zelda.

Aryll said, "Well… I told you, guys… Link jumps around from job to job… and… well… I guess he's never around when you come…" Aryll trailed off.

Ruto, jumping to conclusions, slapped her hand on the table, "I bet you've been keeping him all to yourself!"

"Ewww…" Aryll said disgusted by Ruto's thought process, "First, I'm not attracted to my brother. He's my brother! Second, I don't hide family from friends. And third, if I did the second, would you blame me?"

"No…" Ruto stated dreamily.

"That's… just… creepy!" Aryll shuddered.

Even though she didn't know why the subject of Aryll's 'phantom brother' had come up, Midna laughed, "Well, Aryll, it looks like you will have to fend off even some of your friends from your brother."

"This is not funny." Aryll said, creeped out by her friends' reaction to her older brother.

Midna chuckled, "Yes, it is, and you know it! Besides, you don't have to worry about Zel chasin' him around." Zelda gave her a burning look.

"Hey!" Ilia said, "Don't we get a say about us and your brother dating?"

"NO! He's MY brother!" Aryll said, "And none of you are dating him!"

"Since when are you in charge?" asked Ruto.

"Since I was Link's sister!" Aryll exclaimed, starting to lose her patience.

"If Mr. Alavryn was _my _brother I'd totally let you guys date him. Why won't you, Aryll?" Ruto asked.

"You'd probably want to date him too though," said Malon, "Brother or not, I'm sure you would."

"You're right…" Ruto said, going back into a dream-like state.

"Wow…" Midna said.

Aryll stood up and said, "I'm going to class!" She stood, grabbed her lunch, and walked off, angry that her friends didn't understand how they were making her feel.

"Gosh." Ruto said, "You'd think we'd said something…"

Zelda glared at Ruto and smacked her shoulder. "You guys said too much."

"Come on Zel. You're thinking he's cute too!" Ruto said, defensively.

"Even if that were to be true," Zelda said, "Which it's not." Her friends gave her a skeptical look before she continued. "Think about what you were saying to Aryll. It's the first time you've even met her brother and you're drooling about him. Plus, you can't forget he's a _teacher_. That probably makes the situation even more uncomfortable. If you guys were to do that to my brother Terrick, I would totally flip out."

The girls looked at each other guiltily. Midna crossed her arms. Suddenly, her eyebrows furrowed. "Wait. He's a TEACHER? Since when?"

"Since first period in Madame Farore's class," Zelda said quietly.

Midna looked dumbstruck. She began to touch her two pointer fingers together, staring at them as she muttered, "Alavryn..." Her head suddenly shot up. "Oh, my gosh! And I said all those terrible things about him!"

Aghast, the girls, except for Zelda, exclaimed, "MIDNA!"

Ruto said, "How could you say such terrible things about a hottie like that?"

As Midna began to explain herself, Zelda sighed and shook her head. It was going to be a long wait until Madame Farore got back...

* * *

><p>WhiteXIII: There are lots of references to other Legend of Zelda games in this story, but I think the more obscure ones are the cafe names. Cookie goes to whoever can figure where Skyloft Cafe is from. And an extra special cookie if you can figure out Sola's Subs (Hint: It's a reference to one of the races in Hyrule).<p>

Just remember, guys: the more you review, the faster I write/update!

P.S. No, Midna is not boy-crazy unlike Ruto and Ilia, and partially Malon, she just loves to tease her friends about boys. I do that to my friends too.

**Character Index:**

Zelda: practically all (After all she is the titular character)

Link: all games (If you don't know this, then I'm a little worried...)

Aryll: Wind Waker

Midna: Twilight Princess

Rauru: Ocarina of Time

Impa: Ocarina of Time (At least that's the Impa I'm basing her off of)

Shad: Twilight Princess

Malon: Ocarina of Time

Saria:Ocarina of Time

Nabooru: Ocarina of Time

Ruto: Ocarina of Time

Ilia: Twilight Princess


	3. Chapter 2

**WhiteXIII:** Hey, everybody! See? I told you I update faster than MangaMaid4545!

**MangaMaid:** It's not my fault! I'm waiting on one of my editors! And then there's the fact that you-

**WhiteXIII: **Okay! On to business. Cookie to Andy! Seeing he's the only one that even tried... and he got Skyloft Cafe! Since Sola's Subs is a little more obscure, I'll just explain. Sola's Subs is a reference to the Kokiri, whose names are usually (with the exception of Saria) portmanteaus of syllables from the Solfege scale (You know, "Do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do!")

Thanks to everyone that reviewed and stuff for the last chappie: Shattered Images, Amethyst 269, demon of my heart and mind, righter248, Andy, Comfortable Sofa, whosahassa, sakura dragonee the dragon, Jazzmatazz2000, StraightedgeWingZero, dragoness of storm and SSBB Gamer!

Also, if you get bored and need more stuff to read, I co-author/edit the stories below:

"Dark Hearts" by MangaMaid4545. (**MangaMaid: **It will be updated soon! Just as soon as I can get XIII to help me finish it off. Link is being evil again! And XIII's supposed to help me as XIII is Link's brain when we write together! *Glare at WhiteXIII*) **XIII: **Okay... and the other story is:

"Only Time can tell the Tale" by O Spastic One.

"Dark Hearts" is more serious and intense. So, if you want some serious action, that is my recommendation. However, if you want something more humorous, with a serious under tone, "Only Time can tell the Tale" is the way to go.

All that aside, ENJOY!

*Looks at MangaMaid* ... Quit glaring at me!

* * *

><p>Chapter 2<p>

**PERIOD: 4. ROOM/CLASS: Gym. TEACHER: Mr. Dragmire.**

Zelda groaned, hopeless that Girls' Gym would go well. The teacher, Mr. Ganondorf Dragmire, was a merciless man and he just HAD to be the Gym teacher.

He was a Gerudo, meaning he was red-headed, golden-eyed, and dark-skinned like Nabooru, but also he was the only man which meant about 400 years ago, he would have been King of the Gerudo, but thanks to the change of government by Queen Zelda XIV, Hyrule had become a democracy and the Gerudo had luckily welcomed it with open arms, throwing out their old laws. So that meant no evil demon kings, just evil demon teachers.

Zelda and Aryll were running to Gym together. Both were afraid that they were going to be late. If they were even 0.000000000000000000001 milliseconds late to Mr. Dragmire's class, may Nayru save them.

As they bolted into the gym room, Mr. Dragmire frowned, "Well, girls. You seem to be cutting it a little close." He was holding a stop watch that read zeros all around. Zelda and Aryll had barely made it on time. Both girls were gasping for breath and Zelda's legs were shaking.

"All right class," Mr. Dragmire said, disappointed that he would not get to punish Aryll and Zelda that day. He turned towards the class, his whistle hanging down on his white shirt. Mr. Dragmire was the only teacher in the whole school that didn't have to wear the typical suit and tie. There wasn't much of a point since he was the Gym teacher, a suit would get in the way.

Ganondof spoke, "We're playing dodge ball. You girls are on the red team and you other girls on the green team." He divided the girls up, Zelda and all of Zelda's friends were on the green team, which he always did. Then he said, "Also I will be participating today on the red team."

… Figures.

Mr. Dragmire counted up the girls, "Hmm, it seems that we have a problem. We have 18 girls on the green team and 19 people on the red team. Well, we can't have that can we?" He began to think. Then, he looked at something behind the girls and grinned evilly.

All the girls turned to see Link walking past the Gym doors. He was looking at some papers in his hands and he had a bagel in his mouth. Mr. Dragmire walked over to the door and opened it. Zelda heard him call to Link, "Mr. Alavryn, would you mind helping me for a moment?" Link replied something and walked in.

Link set the papers down and finished his bagel. He looked at the girls evenly divided. He was confused, "What seems to be the problem, Mr. Dragmire?"

"Well, we will be playing dodge ball and I will be on the red team… But then, the other team needs another _girl_."

The students looked nervously between each other. What was going on? Was Mr. Dragmire trying to pick a fight? Link ignored this comment. He still looked at the teams. Mr. Dragmire glared at Link's cool at being called a girl.

"Didn't you hear me?" he snapped.

"Yeah. But, it wouldn't be fair! Any one of 'em would be able to take you down without batting an eyelash!" Link said shrugging.

Mr. Dragmire turned red in the face. The look on his face clearly stated, '_I'm going to kill you…_' Link smirked at him, clearly egging him on.

Zelda looked at Aryll. Aryll was looking at Link as if he was insane. Zelda now felt really bad for Aryll. Everything hadn't been going Aryll's way today and now, her brother was proving to be the craziest person on the face of the planet. To anger Mr. Dragmire was asking for death. She patted Aryll on the back, while everyone else looked dumbfounded. It seemed everyone was thinking the same thing as them.

"Well, at least _I_ don't have an insane grandmother who needs to be put into an asylum, or dead parents, or a sister who's a pathetic excuse for a Hylian." Ganondorf spat.

Link's eyes flashed dangerously as they turned ice cold. His grin was gone, replaced by a firm line. Zelda felt the atmosphere instantly intensify. If looks could kill, Ganondorf would have died a thousand times over. Several students flinched.

"Uh-oh," Aryll said. Zelda had heard that Link wasn't easy to anger, but once his line was crossed he became a fierce opponent and difficult to calm back down again, especially if the foe was Ganondorf.

"Well," Link stated darkly, "At least I'm not a pig."

"At least I'm not some mindless animal!" Ganondorf bit back.

"Are you sure about that?" Link asked.

All the girls gasped. They knew if any of them insulted Mr. Dragmire like that they'd be dead. The air was tense and full of both of the teachers' rage. They stood looking at each other with venomous looks before they simultaneously began to try to tear the other to shreds. The look in their eyes told Zelda that both of them were ready to maim the other, possibly even kill.

Link stood still, watching as Ganondorf ran at. In a moment, Link dropped to the floor and swung his leg, knocking it against Ganondorf's legs, sweeping him clear off his feet. He then stood, while Ganondorf began to stand. In mere moments, Ganondorf was back on his feet. He came up to Link so quickly, that it seemed like he was there the whole time, and with way too much force, he punched Link in the gut. Link flew with amazing force driving him and slammed loudly into the opposite wall. His head hit the wall with a sickening crack and he slumped to the floor.

"Serves him right for insulting Uncle Ganondorf," Zelda, Midna, and Aryll heard a nasally voice say snobbishly.

All three girls turned angrily to the owner of the voice. When they turned, they found that the owner of the voice was Mr. Dragmire's niece, Mala. She too was a Gerudo with the same traits, but rather than have a long ponytail like Nabooru, she had shoulder-length hair.

Zelda glared at Mala's smug, silly, little face, annoyed at her, but both groups were shocked when Aryll lunged at her, knocking her to the ground. Mala and her two friends, Amira and Lila, both Gerudo, were outraged by this "uncalled-for-attack". As Mala's friends began to advance, Midna said, "Seeing as how the pacifist just attacked our arch-nemesis, and we're being threatened by her friends… It's Go-time."

As they prepared themselves for an attack, Link suddenly stood up, shook his head, and ran at Ganondorf. As he did, the whole classroom began fighting against each other, red vs. green. Clearly, they weren't doing dodge ball today.

Some girls fought the traditional, girly way, pulling hair, scratching each other with their nails, but others called on their magic and began duels. The gym was in total chaos as dodge balls, jerseys, and other gym equipment flew around the room, hitting other students. Gym class had turned into a fighting frenzy. The two teachers were oblivious to the students breaking the no magic rule as they were too busy trying to kill the other at the moment.

Zelda felt Mala's friend, Amira's fists rapidly hit her in the gut and in the nose. Liquid she was sure wasn't mucus started to ooze from her nose. She looked to see that Midna had now started to fight with Mala's other friend, Lila, while Aryll took on Mala herself. Unfortunately, Aryll was losing.

Zelda couldn't move to help her without Amira blocking her way, so she had to satisfy herself with kicking Amira in the shins, and punching her nose.

From the corner of her eye, Zelda could see that Link, who was half Mr. Dragmire's size, had him in a head lock. Mr. Dragmire looked infuriated and threw Link to the ground and attempted to kick him into the next century. However, Ganondorf missed as Link shot between his attacker's legs. Kicking the back of Dragmire's knees, Link managed to get his huge adversary on the floor.

Zelda turned back to see Aryll, who had "claw" marks on her face, standing with her fists up, sparking with magic, to defend herself as Mala shot magical bolts of flame at her. Zelda, looked at Amira and said, "Your make-up is beginning to run, Amira. Just so you know." After making sure Amira was occupied with checking her make-up, Zelda charged at Mala and tackled her.

Mala, taken by surprise from Zelda's attack, stumbled over onto the ground with Zelda furiously clawing her face and pulling her hair.

Aryll, now free of Mala's barrage, looked over to see how Midna was doing. She noticed that Midna was having an easy fight with Lila and was enjoying beating her up almost a little too much. She almost looked happy on a fighting rampage.

Mala, in her fury, threw Zelda off of her, just as Principal walked into the chaotic gym room. He had always been a man of perfect timing.

"What is going on?" he demanded, a look of pure confusion and bewilderment on his face. Zelda turned to see how Mr. Dragmire and Link were going to explain this. They were frozen, staring at the principle. Mr. Dragmire was holding Link upside-down by the right ankle while it looked like Link was holding Ganondorf's legs tightly, making him very wobbly. Both of them looked as if they had just stumbled out of a boxing arena without any gloves.

Without warning, Mr. Dragmire dropped Link on his shoulders and said, "And that class, is how you wrestle a wolf with rabies."

Link nodded, ignoring the throbbing pain in his skull, as if saying that was what they had been doing the whole time.

Zelda looked at her father, when she realized that if he saw her... Oh dear. He smiled and said, "Very well, continue." He stepped out of the room. Link and Mr. Dragmire were about to collide again when the Principal came back in. "Oh right," He said, "I need to speak with Dore Greenyaw." Dragmire pointed at Dore, a Kokiri girl, and pointed at the Principal. She stepped out with the Principal.

As soon as Ganondorf was sure that the principal was out of sight and ear shot, he kicked Link across the room. Link retaliated and quickly ran back and punched Ganondorf in the face, giving him a very black eye. Reacting swiftly, he grabbed Link's arm and bent it so far back that Zelda swore it would break right off. Even with pain searing in his left arm, Link refused to back down. He jumped off the ground, twisting in the air so that his arm was no longer bending and kicked his foe's face with as much force as he possibly could. Dragmire dropped Link, rubbing his head and feeling the blood run down his face. Recovering again, he lunged at Link. They collided, their shoulders hitting harshly against each other's in the middle of the room. It seemed neither side was tiring nor neither side would quit.

"YOU'RE DEAD, GANON!" Link could be heard yelling in fury as he punched Ganondorf in the gut. Nobody insulted his family. **Nobody**.

"NOT IF I KILL YOU FIRST, ALAVRYN!" he yelled back, kicking Link's side ruthlessly.

Lila managed to break away from Midna's fury and tackled Zelda back onto the ground, knocking the wind out of her as she did. She raised her fist to hit Zelda hard. Unexpectedly, she flew off of Zelda as Midna picked her up into the air by using magic to make her hair into a gigantic hand. Then she flung Lila into Mala, who was trying to sneak attack Aryll, while she was too busy fighting Amira to notice.

"You alright?" Midna yelled, over the noise of the battling teachers.

Zelda nodded, "Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

The two friends broke up their conversation as Mala and Lila came back to fight some more. Zelda wouldn't use magic, it was against the rules, but fighting in gym wasn't?

Mr. Dragmire grabbed Link by the throat and held him into the air. Link struggled to breath. Aggressively, he wrapped his feet around Ganon's head and twisted hard. A loud pop sounded as the gym teacher's neck popped. Link fell back to the ground, recovered quickly and kicked Ganondorf's shoulder. Ganondorf responded viciously by sweeping Link off his feet by swinging his arm into Link's side, causing him to cough up blood.

Suddenly, a cry ended the fighting. Everyone stopped and looked to see that Amira was writhing in pain, while Aryll held a piece of metal exercising equipment in her hand. Mr. Dragmire came over and pulled the girls to their feet. Amira had dark bruises on her face and arms while Aryll's face was covered in ash and her arms had blistering burns in the shape of Amira's hands. Dropping the equipment, the whole class could see that the Amira had burnt Aryll pretty badly. It was obvious Amira had used magic and not just any magic, the elemental kind.

"Magic use is not allowed in the school without given consent," Mr. Dragmire said sternly, reciting the school rules. "Ms. Alavryn, go to the nurse with Ms. Hykarin. Ms. Deslima, go to the Principal's office, and then go to the nurse," Mr. Dragmire looked like he had said that he was marrying Link next week.

Link nodded but said nothing as the named girls left the room. After they left Link heard Ganondorf say, "Stupid Alavryn girl doesn't know to not play with fire."

"Watch your mouth Ganon," Link warned angrily, "…Or you just might lose it."

The class, who had thought the fight, was over looked at Link in horror like he had just said the binding words, 'I do.'

"And I thought that this guy was a wimp," said Midna mildly impressed, "Maybe he isn't so bad after all… Nah, he still is." '_Even if he was related to a friend, he hasn't passed yet._'

**ROOM: Nurse's Office. NURSE: Impa**

"Well, Ms. Alavryn... those look like some nasty burns," said Impa. "Luckily, I have a cream that will remove the burns and leave not a mark."

Aryll nodded.

"Also, please tell your brother to stop fighting with Ganondorf," Impa sighed as she applied the cream. "Even when they went here, Link and Ganondorf were like two Alpha males, fighting for the lead. If this keeps going on, I'll have to break their arms myself."

Zelda was somewhat shocked. They had been doing this since they were in high school? Aryll nodded towards Impa again, silently telling her that she would deliver the message. They heard a loud smashing sound somewhere in the school, and without warning, the electricity went out.

"What was that?" Aryll asked, panic rising in her voice.

Zelda shook her head, but she could venture a guess. A while later, they could hear Principal Hykarin's voice, and he sounded very angry. The friends exchanged worried glances. What was going on? The door opened and in walked a beat up Ganondorf, looking as if he had just wrestled an angry mother grizzly bear and the grizzly had won, Zelda's father, who was fuming and…

"What happened, Link?" Impa asked, looking at the third person. He was covered in rubble and a thick coating of white dust. Red lines streaked across the white dust on his arms and face showing there were obviously cuts there.

"Well, it seems that Mr. Alavryn and Mr. Dragmire got a little too carried away with teaching the students to defend themselves from wild animals with diseases." Apparently he believed the whole "Wolf with rabies" thing.

Zelda took a closer look at her gym teacher. With a jolt, she realized that his hair was fringed at the ends like he had just hit a live wire and electrocuted himself. What had she missed in Gym?

"And where do you think you're going, young lady?" the principal asked menacingly to someone outside the door.

"Nowhere," came Midna's voice. Zelda was stunned, what was Midna doing here?

"Mr. Dragmire, what happened to your hair?" Impa asked, finishing up with Aryll's burns and moving on to look at Zelda. Students came first, after all. She wasn't about to waste more of her time on Link and Ganondorf. They had their chance to stop fighting!

"Little Miss Twili here forced electricity from the light bulbs in the gym," Ganondorf growled.

"I did not force it!" Midna argued.

"Either way Ms. Nightshado, I have to speak with your guardian," Mr. Hykarin said.

Midna went said, grumpily, "I don't have one Mr. H. No one takes care of me, but me... But… you can talk to my apartment manager..."

Zelda's father was shocked, "No guardian? ... I will call your manager... but... you're behavior was unacceptable! Not only forcing an element, you stole electricity from the school, destroyed the lights _**and **_the gymnasium, you also managed to zap a teacher! You could have killed Mr. Dragmire!"

"Oh no," Midna said, sarcastic. "How terrible that would be! Gym without Dragmire? It isn't possible!"

Zelda's father was fuming at this point. Midna had barely made it into the school by swearing not to cause trouble, but now… "This is not something to joke about! You are facing expulsion Miss Nightshado! And furthermore-"

"Principal Hykarin," Link said, cutting in. The anger from the gym had faded, but something had taken its place.

"Yes?" he said, turning to Madam Farore's substitute.

"Midna's actions were entirely my fault. Please do not punish her because of me," Link said.

"Your fault?" asked Principal Hykarin, looking as if his eyes were going to bulge out from shock.

"Yes," Link confirmed. He kept his eyes, unwavering, on the principal.

Midna looked as if she was about to argue. She stopped, however, when Link gave her a stern look to keep silent.

Midna was unsure how to feel. Who was he to go around taking the blame for things? She had been the one to electrocute Ganondorf and she'd do it again. Happily! Her brow furrowed in confusion. She didn't ask for his help, so why was he sticking up for her anyways?

"Mr. Alavryn…." said the principal, unsure how to confront this rash action from one of his past favorite students.

Midna stared at the principal before looking to Aryll and Zelda, who nodded. The Twili stared back at Link. '_Wow… He would get fired… for me?_' Midna thought as realization finally hit her.

"Explain," the principal finally managed.

Link opened his mouth to continue when Ganondorf cut in, "The fault is partially mine as well, sir."

Zelda was sure she was dreaming. Did Mr. Dragmire just take Link's side?

"Oh?" asked Zelda's father, sounding somewhat relieved.

"Huh?" Link said confused. He turned to look at Ganondorf with a bewildered and cautious look.

"You see, sir, while Mr. Alavryn and I were demonstrating how to defend oneself from a giant rolling creature, like a Goron, but not necessarily that, Ms. Nightshado must have thought that I actually had the intention of hurting her history sub, since I accidentally… threw him… through… a wall, but that was only an accident, I assure you. She only struck me because she actually thought I would injure, or even worse, kill my teaching buddy."

Link looked at Ganondorf with a severely confused expression as Mr. Dragmire gave him a one-armed hug.

"What?" said Midna, Aryll, and Zelda simultaneously. Did Mr. Dragmire just do what they thought he did? Not only had he stood up for Link _and _Midna, two people that he absolutely detested, but had he just call Link his _buddy_?

Zelda's father smiled slightly looking between the two 'friends'. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when he realized that there were students still in the room. His smile dropped as he exited the room, stopping only to whisper something to Link. He nodded his head and whispered something back. After Principal Hykarin had left, Link once more looked up confusedly at Mr. Dragmire, who was smiling down at him.

"Why did you do that?" Link asked him, suspicious of Ganondorf's motives. "Everybody knows that we are not teaching buddies." Ganondorf smiled as Link pulled out of the hug.

"Well, you know what they say," Ganondorf said, a dark smile spreading across his face. "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer…" Having said that, he turned and exited the room, leaving an ominous feeling in the pit of Zelda's stomach. "I will wait in my office for assistance, Impa."

Impa nodded, finishing her work on Zelda.

"Why'd you say that what I did was your fault?" Midna suddenly blurted out to Link.

The seriousness washed from Link's eyes to be replaced by their typical happy glow. Link turned to her smiling as Impa forced him down onto a chair, "You would have gotten suspension… or worse, expulsion."

Midna was dazed. Why should he care? Madame Farore was the only teacher that had ever stood up for her, now a teacher that didn't even know her, a teacher she could care less for, risked losing his job so that she wouldn't get expelled.

"Besides," Link added, as Impa started on his wounds. "I technically started the fight anyways… if I had kept my temper there, wouldn't have been a fight in class in the first place."

"Not true!" Midna argued, "Mr. Dragmire started that fight!"

"What happened anyway?" asked Aryll, looking at the dust covered Link.

"Mr. Dragmire threw your brother into the wall!" Midna blurted, "And I swear he acted like he was going to kill him!"

"What?" screamed Aryll, "He actually tried to kill him?"

"No." Link said, laughing gently, as he continued on in third person, "He wasn't trying to kill him."

"I doubt that…" Zelda muttered, looking on worriedly at him, being the only one to hear his comment, as Aryll and Midna were too busy discussing what had happened in the gym. But it appeared Link didn't hear her.

"After you two left, Mr. Dragmire made a bad comment about you, Aryll, and Link got mad and the fight continued. It didn't go on for very long, but it seemed like Link was beating him pretty badly… Until Mr. Dragmire threw him into the concrete gym wall, smashing it to bits." From this point Midna started acting like she was Ganondorf and Aryll was Link. "Then he grabbed Link from the wall, by the right shoulder, holding him up to the wall, like this, and he pulled back his fist, and then…"

"Then what?" Aryll asked, nervously.

"I zapped him good and _hard_!" Midna said, rather proud of herself.

"You zapped a teacher?" Zelda asked, shocked by her friend's actions. It was a miracle that Midna wasn't already expelled.

"He deserved it!" Midna said, "He tried to kill his 'teaching buddy'."

Link laughed at this remark, "He wouldn't kill me…" Then he suddenly turned serious, "And I'm not his teaching buddy."

"Ok, ok… But, honestly, he seemed like he was going to…" said Midna, a bit surprised at the sudden change in Link's tone. At that moment, the school bell rang. School was out for the day, and this one had been one long day.

Impa punched Link on the shoulder. She had just finished dressing his cuts, but he was still covered in dust, "That's to remind you to keep out of trouble! Now go home and clean up."

"Alright," Link said, smiling and rubbing his shoulder. "Thanks, Impa."

Impa gave him a curt nod, "Now get out of my office." She turned and walked out the door, probably to see to Ganondorf and to get a janitor to clean up the new door in the gym.

Link stood up trying his best to shake the dust off of his hands, "Ryll?"

"Yeah?" asked Aryll.

"Do you want me to take you home, or are you riding the bus?"

"Umm…"

Suddenly Zelda's father walked back into the room, "Zelda, I'm going to be working late tonight so you need to…" The principal stopped mid-sentence, just noticing that there were other people in the room aside from his daughter.

"Oh, hello, Mr. Alavryn. I didn't realize that you were still here."

"I'm just getting ready to head out, sir."

"Really? Well, may I ask you a favor?"

Link cocked an eyebrow, "What is it?"

"I'm going to be going to a district principal meeting tonight and I won't be home till late and I was wondering-" Zelda knew where this was going in an instant. She looked at her dad panicked. She didn't want to intrude or make complications for Link.

"If you could drop Zelda off at home today, and make sure everything's… in order," said Mr. Hykarin.

"I thought you were mad at him," said Midna. Zelda's father gave her a scathing look. "What?" she asked, "You seriously acted like you were angry at-"

"It wouldn't be a problem at all to take Zelda home," Link said, cutting in before Midna got herself into more trouble.

"Thank you, Mr. Alavryn." Turning on his heel, the principal started his way out the door only to stop at the frame, "Oh, and Link?"

Link looked over at his boss, "Yes?"

"Don't forget."

"I won't."

_'Forget what?' _wondered Zelda.

"Hey, Midna," Link said, turning around to face the girls.

"Yeah?" she asked nervously.

"Do you need a ride to your apartment?" he asked.

Midna gaped at him. _'Why is he being nice to me after I said all those mean things about him? … Oh, wait… he never heard anything I said…'_

"Uh," she said, "Sure."

"Alright," Link said, grinning again. "I'll just be a second, I just need to grab some junk and then we can leave."

"We don't mind staying until you finish… getting stuff in order," offered Aryll.

"That's alright sis. I told Colin I'd pick him up from school today, besides, you'd get bored being here that long."

"What do you have to do?" Midna asked, confused.

Link shrugged as he walked towards Farore's classroom. "Just stuff," he said casually.

"And that's the whole story we're getting about now," said Aryll.

The trio of friends walked out into the hallway and to the gym.

"I want to see the damage…" Zelda said, trailing off after finding a gaping hole in the hallway's wall. The hole gave a clear view of a trashed Hyrule Academy gym.

"Wow," Aryll breathed, "We missed a real showdown."

"You don't know the half of it," said Midna.

"Well I see the hole of it," Zelda said, feeling the wall's newest door. Midna and Aryll laughed at Zelda's joke.

In Madame Farore's room, Link was going around tidying up the room. After satisfying that the janitors wouldn't hate his guts for being the messiest substitute ever, Link grabbed his teaching stuff and some papers Madame Farore had not yet gotten to grading and headed out the door.

"Hi, Link," said Aryll, as he came walking up to them. It was obvious she was trying to avoid more questions about her brother.

"Hi, Aryll. Midna. Zelda, are you three ready to go?"

Aryll nodded vigorously and ran out the front doors into the parking lot. Zelda and Midna followed her example while Link simply walked.

On the road, the car was quiet. Midna and Zelda were sitting in the back seat, while Aryll was riding shotgun with Link. Both Midna and Zelda were unsure what they should say or whether they should say anything at all. "Am I making you nervous?" Link asked, after a while of silence.

"Umm…" they stalled.

He laughed, "It must be weird to you two to be getting a ride from a sub."

"No, it's not that," Zelda said, "We just don't know what to talk about…"

"Because you're the phantom brother that we've heard about for so long. And now that you finally exist, it's kinda weird." said Midna. Zelda nodded a little sheepishly, that's how she felt too.

Turning to Aryll, he asked, "Phantom brother?"

"Road!" Aryll screeched, causing Link to quickly turn his attention back to the road. "It's their nickname for you since they've never seen you before."

"You've been talking about me?"

"Well, yeah… I've talked about Rinku and Raven too…"

Midna shook her head. "I still don't believe you have three brothers. I believe this one, but two other one who are older than this guy? Nuh-uh."

Link shot Aryll a look. She lifted her hands in the air, then yelled, "ROAD!"

The car went back to silence. Zelda cleared her throat. "So, um, Aryll mentioned Raven's in college? He's the oldest right?"

Link looked at the review mirror to see Zelda and smiled. "Yes and yes. He's older than me by three years."

Midna asked, "So he's thirty and single? Wow… He must be desperate to find a girl."

Zelda cried, "Midna! That's not polite."

Midna paused before saying, "You're right. Link's twenty-seven and still single… Get a move on, man. Otherwise Aryll's never gonna be an aunt."

Link suddenly pulled over and slammed on the breaks. He spun around to look at her, mortified. "HUH?" Aryll buried her face in her hands.

"Well, think about it. If your older brothers aren't married yet, then Aryll's going to have to depend on you for nieces and nephews," Midna said, shrugging.

Aryll shrieked, "MIDNA!" while Zelda looked horrified.

"What?"

Aryll paused and looked at Zelda. "Well… it's… he's my brother!"

"So? He's needs to hear this and it's obvious you've never brought this up!" Midna replied, looking at Link's red face as he looked forward as he pulled back on the road and asked himself quietly why he, of all people, had to be in this car at this exact moment.

Aryll froze. Then, she said, "Zelda, back me up!"

Zelda said, "Well, Midna… He's a teacher… You shouldn't be telling him to get move on..."

"Hey! I'm only trying to help him! You saw the girls in class! It was like he was Mikau Hall before Mikau married Ruto's cousin, Lulu! If he doesn't change his single status, then they're gonna pounce! And, Zelda," Midna continued, "You're looking into the future, girl. I hope you'll enjoy being an old maid."

Zelda smacked her arm in annoyance. "I am going to find someone… someday. Just not right now."

Midna gave her a teasing, skeptical look as she glanced from her watch and back to her friend. "Uh-huh."

"So what did you guys like about school today?" Aryll suddenly interjected.

"Uh…" Zelda stuttered.

"OH! I know! I enjoyed zapping Dragmire!"

Link loosened up from his prior shock and laughed. "Yeah. I bet that was fun."

Aryll gave her brother a slightly exasperated look. "Don't encourage her, Link! She's already bordering expulsion! It's a well known fact that most people think she shouldn't be in the school."

Link frowned irritably. "And why is that?"

Zelda looked at her hands and muttered, "My dad keeps getting a bad rep because he's the first principal to allow a Twili into a school."

"Most people think we shouldn't even exist," Midna said grumpily.

Link shook his head. "What idiots."

Midna smiled. "Okay. Now you pass."

Link gave her a confused look in the rearview mirror. "What'd I pass?"

"You're not a really stupid sub like the others we've had," Midna said. "And you're a lot more relaxed than other subs we've had before…. You're actually kind of cool." She suddenly turned serious, "So you'd better not go phantom on us again."

Link laughed and Zelda smiled, Midna definitely liked Link better. Aryll looked like she was going to pass out from relief that one of her best friends didn't think poorly of her brother any longer.

"Thanks, Midna," Link said with a grin.

She suddenly reached over from the back and punched Link on the shoulder, "But if you tell the other students that, I'm going hit you so hard you're going to wish you were fighting Mr. Dragmire again. Got that?"

"Yeah," Link said laughing. He knew that Midna was just embarrassed and teasing him.

"Link?" asked his little sister timidly.

"Hm?"

"Am I in trouble for fighting in gym?"

"No, Ryll," Link said, his eyes softening. "That gym fight was my fault. I'm sorry that you three had to be in the middle of that," he apologized.

"I liked it," Midna said, rubbing her hands together mischievously.

"Students were using magic," Zelda said quietly.

"Really? I didn't see that…" Link said as they turned a corner.

"Some were anyways," Zelda added.

"Hm… that's probably my fault too. I guess I need anger management classes," Link said laughing.

"No you don't," Aryll argued. "You're too even tempered if you ask me. Comparing to how you two acted in your last fight with Ganondorf, I almost thought you were a fake Link."

Link grinned as he pulled into the driveway of Midna's apartment. The manager was standing outside tapping his big foot waiting for Midna to get back.

"Uh-oh," Midna commented, watching the manager's angry expression.

"Midna if you ever need something, don't hesitate to ask," Link said, as she got out of the car. She only nodded before walking into the building with the manager close behind her.

On the road again, the car was quiet as the girls wondered what was happening to Midna. Zelda looked up to the front of the car and noticed that Link was still wearing brown leather gloves. _'Why does he wear gloves? Is there some purpose for him wearing them? Or did he just put them on for no reason?'_

Out of the blue Zelda's right hand began to itch, no matter how hard or long she scratched it for it just kept itching. She looked down to see the Triforce of Wisdom shining dimly again. She covered it quickly.

She said, "Um, Aryll?"

Aryll turned to face Zelda. "Yeah? Is everything ok?"

"My… condition is acting up again," Zelda said.

Link didn't seem to hear them as he continued to drive. Aryll's eyes widened. "Oh… Um…" Aryll rummaged in her back pack and took out a cloth. She tossed it to Zelda. "Will that work?"

Zelda nodded and smiled at Aryll. Zelda had gotten the Triforce when she was twelve. It had never reacted like this before. Aryll knew about it, but how would Link react? He would definitely know what it was. Suddenly, the itching and glowing stopped. Zelda looked down at her hand again, _'Well that was weird…' _

"Here we are," Link said, pulling into the driveway at Zelda's house.

"Thank you for the ride," she said politely.

"No problem," Link said grinning.

"We'll see you at school tomorrow," said Aryll, waving to Zelda as she and her brother drove away.

Zelda nodded and waved as they left. Once they were gone, she walked up to her doorstep and grabbed the house key, which was always hidden under a lawn ornament that looked like a duck.

_'Why did the Triforce act like that?' _she wondered, concerned, _'Was it trying to warn me of something? Or does it react when I'm under pressure or nervous…?' _Zelda stood in the doorway before making up her mind. "I have to learn more about the Triforce," she muttered under breath.

**On the way to Hyrule Elementary…**

"Well school was fun today, huh?" said Link on the way to pick up Colin.

"It was crazy," agreed Aryll.

Link paused before saying, "Sorry about embarrassing you in class like that, Ryll."

"You hardly did anything" she said, smiling at her brother. She paused for a moment enjoying the comfortable silence between them. Finally, she said, "I'm actually kind of glad that you're subbing and not some other sub."

"Why's that?" Link asked, intrigued.

"Most subs aren't as fun as you are."

Link smiled. "Ah, thanks, Ryll," said Link, taking his right hand off the steering wheel to give his sister a one armed hug. "Let's just hope tomorrow isn't as crazy." Aryll nodded. Although, something in the back of her mind told her that this was only the beginning of their worries.

* * *

><p><strong>WhiteXIII: <strong>Um... How was it? Good? Bad? Please tell me!

**MangaMaid:** Do it! Otherwise, I'll hunt you down! And I've got friends everywhere.

**WhiteXIII:** ... I'm scared. Wait... Don't threaten them!

**Character Index:**

Ganondorf: Almost all of them. But think Twilight Princess. The Ganondorf from Ocarina of Time is too... not serious.

Mala, Amira and Lila: All are OC's, but based off Gerudo stuff... Seeing as they are Gerudo... Yeah. Next.

And I guess that's it. (I'm only putting people in this thing as they come in.) The rest, look at previous chappie.

**Review PLEASE!**


	4. Chapter 3

**WhiteXIII: **Yay! Chapter 3 is finally here!

**MangaMaid:** Finally...

**WhiteXIII:** Hey! I'm still keeping up with you and I have a ridiculously busy schedule.

**MangaMaid:** Uh-huh... I'd like to see how long that lasts.

**WhiteXIII: **Ignoring... Thanks to: Heroboy163, misszelda3290, Radius Flame, Andy, A fan, Taigen, Emma54325, hawkeye-song, princess-of-all-sayings, sakura dragonee the dragon, Jazzmatazz2000 and Humf for reviewing/alerting and all that jazz. :)

A note to those that think Zelda's last name should be Harkinian. I don't find that name to be canon and I don't like the characters that come from there anyway. They treat Link like an idiot! Besides, this is an AU.

Another note, about Malon being human. Yes, I realize that she is Hylian in "Ocarina of Time." I listed her in such game because that's what she's famous for being in. This is an AU and she is human because it balances out the friend group better. Sorry if I confused or offended anyone. :)

Also, It made me really, really happy that you guys enjoyed that corny joke last chapter about the 'hole of it.' :D

Anyways, on to chappie 3!

* * *

><p>Chapter 3<p>

_**Day: Thursday**_

**PERIOD: 1. CLASS: Health. ROOM: 111. TEACHER: Mr. Renado Pikes.**

Zelda sighed with relief as she shut her locker Thursday morning. Yesterday had been so crazy with the fight in gym, Midna almost getting expelled, and having Aryll's older brother, Link, as the substitute history teacher that it made her dizzy just thinking about it.

"Hey, Hykarin," sneered Mala as she walked by, 'accidentally' bumping into Zelda, causing her to drop all of her things. "Ooops," she said, feigning innocence. "Sorry."

Her two friends laughed mockingly as they followed their ringleader. Amira said, "Oh, no, Mala. You'd better help her pick up her things or she'll go running to _daddy_."

Lila gave an over exaggerated gasp, "Oh, no! We could get expelled!"

The trio of friends walked around the corner, laughing at their own jokes. Zelda tried to ignore them as she bent over and quickly re-gathered her things. She shook her head, forcing herself not to think about jerks like them. She had dealt with them for years, so why should things be any different now? But she still felt the back of her throat tighten slightly as she stood once more.

She walked quickly towards her first class of the day eager to see her friends and see if everything was okay after the previous day's events. She saw Midna sitting at their usual table waiting quietly for class to begin. Zelda frowned. Midna was always late.

"Hi, Midna," Zelda said sitting next to her friend. "What did your apartment manager say?"

If Midna had noticed that one of her best friends was speaking to her she wasn't giving any notice.

"Midna?" Zelda pressed, now concerned. "Are you alright?'

Whipping around suddenly, Midna gave Zelda the saddest look Zelda had ever seen on her friend's face. "I got kicked out."

Zelda was shocked. "You what?"

"I got kicked out. My apartment manager said that he couldn't have me in his building anymore. That I was a danger to everyone else in the building if I would go and attack a teacher. He gave me an hour to pack, then kicked me out."

Zelda looked angry. "That's stupid!"

"That's life."

"Well, maybe you could-!"

"Thanks, but no thanks, Zel. I'm pretty sure I know what you're gonna say, and I just want to remind you, your dad doesn't like me." She opened her book and began to read.

Looking over Midna, Zelda noted that her friend was a mess. Her hair was messed up as if she hadn't brushed it that morning and as though she had slept badly, tossing and turning but being unable to drift off into the land of dreams. Her clothes were rumpled and dirty as if she had had a wrestling match with a sand castle and the sand castle had emerged victorious. Her eyes were red with lack of sleep, but it made Midna look like she was a madwoman.

"Okay," Zelda said, a little heart-broken by Midna's sudden situation.

The rest of the class flashed by as a blur as Midna refused to even look at anybody in particular keeping her head in a book. But when she did, she looked as if she was the saddest person on the planet. When the bell rang Midna was the first out of the classroom. Zelda looked for her before her next class, but couldn't find her.

**PERIOD: 2. CLASS: Ancient Hylian. ROOM: 117. TEACHER: Biggoron Absconditus**

Zelda hardly noticed as her huge Goron teacher, Mr. Absconditus (they called him Mr. Ditus for short), as he waved to her while she stumbled, dazed into class. She gave a vague smile to him before heading over to the table that she and Aryll shared.

Aryll came into class, looking pale and sick. When she reached her desk, she slumped in her chair. Zelda looked at her. "You ok?"

"Grandma cooked this morning. I swear bee larva paste topped with Chu jelly maybe good for you, but it's disgusting," Aryll groaned. "Link's lucky he didn't eat it this morning…"

Zelda looked appalled. "You ate bee… larva… and… Chu jelly?"

Aryll nodded. "Yeah, and the larva wasn't totally smashed or dead."

Zelda felt nauseous. "Why'd you eat it?"

"Grandma wouldn't let me leave until I ate it all. And you try telling a seventy-four old woman she can't cook anymore since she picks the worst healthy food. I mean, Link can cook bee larva and it'll taste like a five-star dinner at a gourmet restaurant. But Grandma… Eh… She's all about basics. Meaning no spices, no sweeteners, and no-"

"Don't tell me. Really. Don't."

Aryll nodded and laid her head down on the desk. "I didn't see Midna this morning before class. Was she in class with you?"

Zelda nodded. "She was…"

"Is everything ok?"

"Well… Not… exactly."

Aryll jerked her head from the desk, "What happened?" She suddenly turned green. She raised her hand. When Mr. Ditus looked at her, she said, "Mr. Ditus, I need to go to the nurse…"

Nodding, he turned to Zelda, "Zelda, would you mind taking her?"

"Not at all." She stood and slung Aryll's arm over her shoulder. Half walking and half-carrying her friend, they made it halfway to the nurse's office, before Aryll declared that she couldn't make it and both rushed to the nearest bathroom.

As Zelda heard her friend's breakfast leave her stomach, she felt mildly sick. "What were you trying to tell me?" Aryll moaned from the stall.

"Um… Midna lost her home," Zelda said.

"What?" Aryll exclaimed before retching some more. "What do you mean she lost her home?"

"Her apartment manager kicked her out because she attacked one of her school teachers and he didn't want her 'violence' to go after the other people living there."

"That's stupid. I mean, if he knew Dragmire, then he'd know that man is the incarnation of evil himself and Midna was doing us all a favor."

Zelda shrugged as she quoted Midna, "That's life."

Aryll's head poked around the door. "Well, that's sensitive, Zel."

"Midna said that, not me," Zelda said defensively.

Aryll nodded in understanding. "Sounds like her, too…" She paused for a moment before deciding, "I'll talk to her at lunch. Speaking of which, you might want to be somewhere else in case all the girls try to mollycoddle her."

Zelda nodded. That sounded like a good idea. But where could she go… "Oh! Aryll, do you know if there are any books in the library about the Triforce?"

"Zelda," Aryll started slowly, coming to stand by her friend at the sink, "You, Saria and I once spent a whole eight hours in the library on a _Saturday_ looking for books on the Triforce. You know there aren't any."

Zelda sighed. She needed information about her Triforce as soon as possible. But how was she supposed to without a reference?

As if Aryll read her mind she said, "Why don't you ask Link?"

"Link?" Zelda asked, skeptic.

Aryll nodded. "He wrote a published essay all about it. I think he knows a little."

Zelda stared at her. "You never told me your brother published an essay!" she exclaimed. Link wrote something that the world considered to be a creditable source… Wow.

"It never came up," Aryll said with a shrug. She took a sip from the sink, rinsed her mouth and spit it out a few moments later. She sighed. "I feel much better, though I should probably still go to the nurse."

Zelda nodded and took her friend to the nurse. Impa had described it as just a touch of food poisoning. Not very bad, but still not good for Aryll. She had made Aryll lie down on the hospital bed and said that Aryll was going to stay there for the rest of the period. If she was feeling better at lunch, she would be allowed to go.

As Zelda came back to class, she thought about what Aryll had said about Link. Deciding that it would be in her best interest to go visit him, rather than watch Midna blow up at being fussed over too much, she decided at lunch she'd grab her lunch and go see him. It was then the clock decided to go at the slowest pace humanely possible.

**PERIOD: Lunch. PLACE: Room 317.**

Zelda walked through the hallway still deep in thought about what she would ask Link. As she walked to Room 317, she noticed the door open. She heard the sound of typing keys and clicks off the mouse. Lightly knocking on the door, she leaned her head in.

There was a man, wearing a white button up shirt, a slightly baggy, brown suit and a dark green tie, which hung loosely around his neck. His blond hair was slicked back, except for a few strands of hair that refused to obey the gel substance and instead hung down onto the sides of his forehead by his temples. But what surprised Zelda the most were the black, thick-rimmed, square-shaped glasses that sat on his nose.

She did a double take. Was she in the right room? She glanced back at the room number… 317, which was Farore's. Maybe they got a new sub? But Aryll said to ask Link, so he had to be here… She timidly opened the door and entered.

Link looked up briefly, his glasses slipping down his nose. "Miss Hykarin, come in."

Zelda nodded warily in return as she took a seat in one of the desks closer to the front. She had just met Link the day before and he was nothing like this.

"What seems to be the-" Just then the phone played a playful tune that made Zelda think of adventure and danger. He apologized briefly before answering the phone. He frowned suddenly as the person on the other line spoke.

_"Link Alavryn? This is Principal Nayru Amatatus. I'm calling to talk to you about Colin." _

Link gave an apologetic look as he listened. Zelda pulled out her Ancient Hylian homework from her folder and began to work at the desk. She might be there for a while.

"Oh. Is something wrong?" he asked, worry lines creasing on his forehead.

_"Well, it seems he was getting picked on again by Talo Agreit. He got badly scraped on the temple, caused quite a scare with all the blood-"_

Link interrupted, panic in his voice. "Is Colin ok? Did he have to go to the hospital? Is he-?"

"_No, no, no. He's fine, Link. It was just a scrape. I've talked to Talo's parents and they assured me it won't happen again but…"_

"Does Colin need to be picked up?" Link asked, worry saturating his tone.

_"The nurse says he's fine, but he's exhausted. All the blood sent him into a bit of a panic attack. He's sleeping in the nurse's office. Poppy says he's fine, but she suggests sending him home when he wakes up. But you can come get him any time." _

"Okay," Link said glancing at his watch, then at Zelda. "I should be over within the hour. I have to take care of some things, so I'll see you in a bit."

Zelda hurried to finish one last translation for her assignment as Link hung up the phone and walked towards her after tightening his tie and putting on his jacket, which had been sitting on his chair. He looked briefly over her shoulder as she finished. He said, "I think you mean 'sky.'"

Zelda looked at him, confused.

"It's a common mistake, really." When Zelda still seemed rather lost, he pointed at the words on her paper and said, "The words for sky and cloud are similar in Ancient Hylian."

Zelda looked at the words he directed at and felt her face flush with embarrassment. She knew that! How could she have messed that up? She quickly erased it and wrote Link's correction in. "How'd you…?"

Link smiled. "I think you came to ask a question, but not that one. History, perhaps?"

"Uh… Yeah," Zelda said nervously. Now that he was in a suit and tie he was suddenly less approachable.

"Why do you have glasses?" she suddenly blurted.

Link raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I couldn't find my contacts this morning," he said slowly.

"Oh," Zelda said, feeling extremely awkward. That could not have been more obvious. "But that wasn't my question," she quickly recovered. She needed to get her head on straight and get down to business.

When Zelda didn't continue Link prompted, "Well?"

"Right. I was just wondering if you… knewanythingabouttheTriforce! I mean… you know."

"Actually, I don't know," Link said, snickering slightly, "Now could you repeat that last part? You spoke a little too quick for my old ears to catch."

"You're not old," Zelda muttered under her breath. He smiled again. She felt her nerves slowly dissipate as she repeated, "I was wondering if you knew anything about the Triforce."

"Ah." Link said. "I know a little. What do you need to know?"

Zelda paused. She hadn't thought this far ahead. "Uh… Well… I was wondering if you knew anything about the incident that happened nine years ago."

"I think everyone in Hyrule knows what happened then, Miss Hykarin," Link said smiling.

"Oh. Right. Well… I was just wondering, cause a friend of mine asked, of course," she instantly interjected, watching Link's expression closely.

"Of course," Link agreed.

"My friend says she knows someone, who knows someone's cousin's wife's father, who has the Triforce and they want to know why it… randomly burns and itches at times…" Zelda mentally cringed. '_How stupid was that?_' she screamed at herself mentally. '_That was the most obvious thing ever!_' As if on cue, her hand started to burn, but as quickly as it started, it stopped.

"Ah. Well, I can't say for certain without actually meeting them, but it sounds like they're running into someone with another Triforce."

She looked at him, confused. "Another Triforce?"

Link nodded. "When two Triforces are near to each other, they tend to react and send messages to their Bearer that another Bearer is nearby. It's kinda like a warning system or tracking device, depending on which way you look at it."

"Oh…" Zelda said quietly. So every time she went to Gym and it reacted… Ganondorf. '_That's not who I wanted to have one! He probably has Power! I'm doomed!_'

"Is that all you wanted to ask?"

"Um… Do you know why the school blew up nine years ago? I mean, they say there was a crazy bomber or something, but I don't remember anyone being there…"

Link paused. "You were there?" he asked quietly.

"Uh… Well… Kinda…? I mean, I wasn't in the school, but I was, uh… nearby. I remember the school exploding for no reason and just wondered if you might know something. You seem to know a lot."

He glanced at the time. "I'm sorry, Miss Hykarin, I'd love to answer your questions, but I need to go pick up somebody."

"Right," Zelda said, feeling almost relieved.

"Well, I'll see you later," Link said, brushing out the door.

**PERIOD: 3 CLASS: Magic and Divination ROOM: 438 TEACHER: Madame Fanadi**

"Hello, class," said the misted voice of their teacher.

"Hello, Madame Fanadi," the class chanted back dully.

Madame Fanadi was known as a quack. Her voice was misty and she always came to school dressed like a gypsy fortune teller. She claimed she could see the students' futures. And that one day they would see their own.

The three friends sat through the class hardly paying attention.

"So, how'd things go with Link?" Aryll asked quietly as their teacher said something about turnips turning beige.

"Pretty good," Zelda said. "And how'd things go with Midna?"

"Well, seeing as how when Midna told everybody, Nabooru threatened to kill the apartment manager, Malon and Ilia threatened to chase him down on their horses, Saria began worrying about housing prices, and Ruto began blubbering about how Midna would have to live in a cardboard box, I haven't actually asked her yet."

"Ask who what?" Midna suddenly asked.

Both girls turned to see Midna behind them, one of her eyebrows raised. Both looked at each other, then back at Midna. Aryll took a breath, "I was just was wondering if you wanted to live with me and Link. I mean, I know it sounds weird, but Link wouldn't mind and everyone else would like you and-!"

"No."

Aryll blinked surprised. "But Midna…"

"No. I am not going to impose on you and your family. You already got it hard enough. You've got six mouths to feed and you said yourself Link's working to his grave. I'm not going to make things harder."

"But Midna, you wouldn't…"

"Nuh-uh."

"But!"

"No."

"BUT…"

"No."

Aryll slammed her fist on the table. "MIDNA! JUST LISTEN TO ME!"

Madame Fanadi looked up at the three girls. "Is something wrong?"

Aryll was so frustrated that she hadn't even realized that she was standing up in class. She turned red, but kept her eyes to Midna's.

"You three," said Madame Fanadi to Zelda, Midna and Aryll as she walked towards the door. "Come with me."

This couldn't be good.

"Great," Midna muttered, "Another visit to the big man."

Zelda gulped. Another visit to her father in one week? Not good.

Madame Fanadi turned to the other students. "Read pages 266 to 289 on the section on interpreting dreams. When the bell rings, you may all go."

Madame Fanadi led them in a slow pace that took what seemed to be forever. It was if she was counting how slowly she could take her next step. As she did this, the bell rang as kids poured into the hallways to go to their next class. Zelda tried to ignore the fact that they would be late to fourth hour.

When they arrived at the office doors, Fanadi told them to wait as she walked through them with purpose. They didn't have to wait long as Madame Fanadi came out a few minutes later.

"Come along," her misty voice prodded.

Zelda was confused. Why were they leaving the principal's office? Wasn't that where they were supposed to be going? But that didn't seem to be their destination as the teacher led her students through the halls in a series of twists. They arrived at a classroom that Zelda had never been to before.

The tardy bell rang as Madame Fanadi knocked on the door.

Mr. Rauru Lucem, the elderly history teacher for the juniors answered it surprised.

"Well hello, young thing," he said looking at Fanadi. "What brings you here?"

Madame Fanadi blushed as she spoke on, "You are having a teachers meeting here, yes?"

"Why yes," replied Mr. Lucem.

"Is Mr. Alavryn present? I foresaw him leaving today, something about an injury to a child..."

Aryll rolled her eyes and then froze. Link was going to hear about her interrupting class? That was not good. Not good at all.

Zelda stood stunned. She leaned over to the two other girls while the two teachers chatted and flirted a little bit, "How did she know?"

"Hmm?" Both girls looked at her confused.

"Colin got injured at school and Link had to go get him," Zelda said.

Aryll looked shocked. "Colin got hurt?" she whispered, "Why didn't you say anything?"

"It, uh, never came up?"

Before either Midna or Aryll could speak, Rauru and Fanadi finished chatting and Rauru disappeared into the room. A few moments later, Link appeared in the doorway.

"Sup, Madame Fanadi," he said, grinning and saluting her with a left-handed, two-fingered salute. Then, seeing the girls standing there and Midna and Zelda's confused faces, he put his hands in his pockets and became instantly serious as he asked, "What's going on?"

"I need to speak with you about your sister," she replied, her voice still retaining its misty disposition.

"Ok…" Link said confused as to why Zelda and Midna were there too.

"I believe Aryll has had a vision into her future," Fanadi said, blinking slowly as if that would explain everything.

"Really?" Link asked, looking at Aryll, raising an eyebrow.

Aryll was confused. Vision? She had just been yelling at Midna in class.

"Yes. She has Seen the fates of her and her friends. Tell him, Dearie, what you've Seen."

Aryll looked dumbstruck for a moment. Then she smiled, "Well, Link, Midna got kicked out of her apartment for what happened in _Gym_, and so I looked in her future and she's going to be living with us."

The entire world seemed silent for a moment. Fanadi nodded her approval while Midna glared at her friend. Link just stared blankly at his sister, while Zelda wondered why in Hyrule she was there.

"Quite the vision," said Madame Fanadi's voice. "I must say I'm impressed with her Seeing abilities. I never had a student that good at it… You should watch her abilities."

"Yeah," Link said, a little skeptic. He then turned to the girls smiling. "You three had better get to cla… Oh no! My class!," he said, snapping back to his senses. "The tardy bell rang ten minutes ago!" He darted back into the classroom.

Madame Fanadi steered them to their next class. "Link is right. You better get to class… Oh, and Link?" Madame Fanadi said, turning towards the substitute as he reemerged from the room.

"Yes?" Link asked as he fumbled with some papers.

"Remember your pants." she said. She sounded as if it was some sort of great revelation.

"Okay," said Link, confused as he ran off towards his classroom. "Bye. See you both at home, Midna, Aryll."

**PERIOD: 4 CLASS: Calculus. ROOM: 201. TEACHER: Mr. Gor Amoto Tridu.**

Zelda, Aryll and Midna sat at the back of the classroom working on their Calculus assignment. Mr. Tridu was an awesome teacher, rather than yelling at them for being fifteen minutes late to class, he had just let them slip in unnoticed and came up to them about it after the lecture. As an added bonus, the old Goron allowed the students to talk quietly while they worked on their math assignments.

Aryll grinned, "I love it when I win."

"What do you mean you won?" Midna asked.

"I won the agreement game! Link agreed with me, so you are now an Alavryn."

Midna looked confused, "He didn't say anything."

"Yes, he did." Aryll grinned. "He said and I quote, 'See you both at home, Midna, Aryll.' which means you are one of us!" She turned to Zelda, "If we invite you and the other girls, it can be one big sleepover."

"Sleepovers are fun," said Mr. Tridu, walking past their table. "But I'm not sure if you'd want me over at your house, Miss Alavryn. Now get to work."

The girls laughed silently. "Yes sir." The Calculus teacher walked away chuckling to himself.

"Are you sure it would be okay with your brother?" Midna asked.

"Probably," said Aryll finishing question 36. "Besides I can be very convincing."

"Sweet," Midna said, smiling happily.

The trio gathered their books as the bell rang and walked out the door. Zelda turned to go an opposite direction than her friends.

"Zel?" Aryll asked, "Where are you going?"

"I need to talk to my father about something," Zelda said.

"Well, can't it wait?" Aryll asked. "I mean, we have to go soon cause Link has work and we had plans to go to the library."

"Ok…" Zelda said.

They quickly walked to the school's library. The library was one of the biggest in all the schools of Hyrule. It had shelves upon shelves of books, so that the walls were lined with them up to the ceiling. As they passed the Librarian, Mr. Tingle, a man obsessed with fairies, maps, and books, they looked around the shelves. Midna instantly found a supernatural fantasy book to her liking. Aryll looked around, as did Zelda, but neither found what they liked.

As they looked around, Zelda accidentally bumped into someone who was small and had bright green hair. "Saria! What are you doing here?"

Saria answered, "I was looking to see if they have next book in The Legend of Zelda Series."

"Legend of… Zelda?"

"They are set of historical fiction books, even though they should be historical fantasy, written by this _amazing_ author, Alan Klyn."

"Oh? Who's he?"

"You don't who he is?" Saria asked, shocked. She led Zelda over to the historical fiction as she explained, "He's the best author ever! These books he writes are amazing. So the first one was called Ocarina of Time, right? So it was about the Hero of Time and his fight against the King of Evil right, you'd think it being the legends in a novel form would make it a boring read, but it's so much better. The first is obviously based on the legend, but the rest are totally made up."

"What's with the name?" Zelda asked.

"Well, Klyn when he was writing these books decided to go with the Legend of Zelda because all the princesses so far are named Zelda. All are named Zelda because of a decree. Plus there's also the fact that, wait I can't tell you that, you'd have to read it, cause it's a spoiler…"

"What's with the decree?"

"I can't tell you that either, it's also a spoiler. But I'm looking for the new one, Twilight Princess, it just recently came out, it's the second to last one."

"Just how many books are there?"

"Enough to keep this Kokiri happy," Saria grinned. "Apparently, he wrote the first four at the same time, so none seem off. Plus, it means that sometimes two books get published in the same year." She stopped, looking at the shelves. "Ah, here we are Klyn." Looking at the shelves, she sighed, "Looks like they don't have Twilight Princess yet. But here's the first one." She pulled out a book. On the cover was a blue ocarina with a shadow casting itself into the figure of a man. She handed it to Zelda, "You might like it."

Zelda looked at it, deciding whether or not she'd want to read it. Finally, she clutched the book to her chest and went to check it out. As she handed the book to Mr. Tingle, he said, "Well, Zelda, you've finally found a book after several weeks of searching."

"Yep. I guess I have." Zelda said, knowing he was teasing her book pickiness. She thanked him quietly as he handed her the book. She stuffed it into her bag, deciding to read it later.

Midna and Aryll quickly followed suit and they were soon walking towards the library entrance.

"What'd you get, Zel?" Aryll asked.

Zelda shrugged. "Just a book Saria suggested. It's The Legend of Zelda series by Alan Klyn."

Aryll's eyes opened with surprise. "Klyn?"

"You've heard of him?" Zelda asked, stopping before opening the doors.

"Uh… Yeah. I've read his stuff before… It's pretty good."

Zelda nodded and pushed the doors open. Before she could ask any more questions, Link came around the bend.

"There you two are!" he said, looking at Aryll and Midna. "I've been looking for you. We need to go."

Aryll and Midna nodded, said their goodbyes to Zelda and quickly took off through the front doors. Link turned his back to Zelda and began to walk away, when he stopped and said, "Oh, and Miss Hykarin, I wouldn't mention our earlier conversation to anyone."

"Why?" she asked tentatively.

"You never know who's listening," Link said simply as he pushed the door open, leaving Zelda to stare at his retreating back.

Shaking her head, Zelda continued to her father's office. There a few things they needed to… discuss. She knocked on his door.

Her father opened the door, smiling as he spotted his daughter. "Oh, Zelda. Did you have a good day?"

"Yes, it was fine," Zelda said with a frown.

"What's on your mind?" Principal Hykarin asked, noticing his daughter's tension.

"Midna got kicked out of her apartment yesterday," Zelda said, looking straight into her father's eyes. She bit her lip as her father frowned. He had never liked Midna from the start.

"Really?" When Zelda nodded, he said, "Well, that's too bad." He hesitated. "Does she need a place to stay?" When Zelda shook her head as a 'no,' the principal let out a soft sigh.

"She's now living with the Alavryns," Zelda said coolly.

Her father stared at her. "The Alavryns? But why?" He asked, surprised.

"They offered," Zelda said simply. "Plus, no other apartment building would take her in because she's a _Twili_!"

"That's terrible," her father said as he began to pack up his things.

She frowned as her anger began to get the best of her. "What's really terrible is that she's been struggling to live by herself for a few months now!" Principal Hykarin looked up at his daughter, surprised by what she was saying. "Dad, she lost her family recently, she doesn't have anywhere to go! Midna never would ask for our help because she doesn't want to bother us! So she's been supporting herself since then and still passing school."

Her father was silent as if trying to decide what to say. When he remained silent, Zelda continued, "She got kicked out because you called her apartment manager and he got mad."

"I have to take disciplinary action," her father said, suddenly going into serious principal mode. "Even if the closest thing she had to a guardian was a housing manager. It was her decision to fight in Gym and to electrocute Mr. Dragmire, so-"

"But he was going to hurt L-"

"And he didn't," Principal Hykarin said, placing his hands on his desk firmly. "Zelda, I understand your concern for your friend, but, as the principal, I had to contact a parent or guardian for discipline. She forced an element and-"

"She had to sleep on a park bench last night!" Zelda said, exasperated. How could her father not understand? Of course he had to do something about what happened because of his job, but he didn't even care what had happened to Midna.

"That's enough, Zelda," he said firmly.

"But-"

"End of conversation," Mr. Hykarin said, snapping his suitcase shut. His gaze was firm and Zelda knew if she pushed it, then he would snap. She kept silent. He sighed. "I'm sorry about the misfortune that befell your friend."

Zelda nodded vaguely. He pulled her into a one-armed hug. "Let's go home," he said quietly.

…

Zelda was silent on the drive home. She watched out the window as her father into their up-town suburbia neighborhood. Their neighborhood was mostly full of two-story buildings with not much yard, and flowerbeds alongside the walkways up to the door. Some houses had even put statues on either side of their driveway.

Zelda's house was a smaller than most others in their neighborhood, considering it was only her and her parents since her brother, Terrick, was in college. It was one of the few one story houses in the neighborhood. The outside of the house was a pastel blue, with a small garden against the house rather than following the walkway. After her father pulled in, Zelda got out of the car and headed inside the house.

The walls were a creamy off-white color. Zelda walked into the living room, which was to the left of the front door. It was big, with a large couch and a wide plasma screen. A beige carpet was the floor and it graced whoever was on its soft, cushiness that would provide support for their feet.

On the other side of the front door were the kitchen and the adjoining dining room. The kitchen was nicely furnished, with honey colored cabinets and a stainless steel refrigerator and a matching microwave. A polished wood floor shone brightly up at them leading them to the dining room where a table and chairs that matched the honey cabinets sat with family pictures surrounding them on the walls.

Her mother stood in the kitchen, chatting as she chopped vegetables. It was obvious where Zelda had garnered her looks from. While Zelda's father, Daltus Hykarin had graying chestnut hair, grey eyes, and was slightly portly, his wife, Daviane Hykarin was blonde with green eyes and a slim figure. It had often been said that Zelda and her mother could pass for twins if Zelda's eyes had been green and Daviane was younger.

"Yes, Pearl, I understand how it is. My little Zelda's almost ready for college and soon she'll be leaving me. I can't believe how big they've gotten. Why, I remember when your son and his wife moved here. Oh. I hear Zelda now, I guess I'll talk to you later. Uh-huh. Bye-bye." Daviane turned to look at her daughter. "Hello, dear, how was your day?"

"It was… mmm… interesting." To diverge the conversation from her school day, Zelda asked, "Who were you talking to?"

"Pearl Alavryn, Aryll's grandmother. We were talking about how fast you girls are growing up. To think," she said, getting misty-eyed, "Next year, my baby will be moving out and going on to college."

Zelda groaned, "Mom… It's not that big of a deal."

"You don't understand yet, because you don't have any children of your own," she sighed. "Why, I remember when you were five, you told me you liked Link Alavryn."

"Huh?" Zelda stared at her mother.

"Yes," Daviane smiled, "You had the cutest little crush on him. You'd talk about him all the time… It was so adorable." She gushed as she remembered it.

"I'm going to go do homework now," Zelda said, wanting to suddenly leave the room.

"Aw, do you still have a crush on him?" she asked.

"EXCUSE ME!" Zelda said, shocked. "Mom… He's a substitute! At my school."

"Oh! They grow up so fast!" Zelda's mother began to tear up. Using this as an opportunity, Zelda left before her mother could bring up any more embarrassing memories.

Shooting off from the living room, a hallway led to the bathroom and bedrooms of the family. Here, family pictures also smiled down on her as Zelda walked into the bathroom to clean her face and hands before dinner.

The bathroom was a pale pink and had a floral theme to it. Flowers were on the tiles and arranged on the sink. Even the seat on the white porcelain toilet had a flower pattern on the top. A white marbleized counter and stainless steel glistened at them. Zelda paused as she look at her wet face in the mirror, her mother's words lingering in her mind.

'_I knew Link when I was five?'_ she mentally asked herself. She knew she had known Aryll, but she didn't remember Link at all. Her mother's even more embarrassing statement popped up. _'And I had a crush on him. Huh… I wonder why.'_ Shaking her head, she thought, _'Anyways, I don't have a crush on him now and that's all that matters.'_ After drying her face and hands, she left the bathroom.

She glanced briefly at the door directly across. Her parents' room. She frowned, remembering the fight she had had with her father. He was probably still in there, getting dressed into more casual clothes. Zelda shook her head as she headed down the hallway and into her bedroom. She shut the door silently behind her.

Zelda's room was a reflection of Zelda herself. There were three bookcases on one wall that reached the ceiling, all crammed with books. Her walls were a beautiful shade of blue. Her bed was an elegant canopy bed with a pale pink canopy and matching bedspread that worked well with her walls. Shelves above her bed held old stuffed animals and old porcelain dolls that were very special to Zelda. Two of these dolls were of the Hero of Time and the Princess of Destiny, while three others were the Oracles.

Zelda sat on her bed and started a movie on the little TV that sat on a little desk on the opposite wall, dressing into more casual clothes herself as the previews played. When the movie ran, she tried to pay attention, but she couldn't stop thinking about that day. Midna was really lucky that Aryll's family was able to take her in. _'More lucky that Link would agree to it…_' Zelda thought absentmindedly. Her forehead creased slightly as she remembered Link's words. _"You never know who's listening._" What had he meant by that?

She didn't know much about Link, but what she did know made her want to know more. Like what Impa had said: _"He was one of Farore's favorites! And I don't mean the history teacher. I mean Farore!"_ He was a substitute history teacher that had known the Oracle of Secrets himself.

She sat contemplating for a while, not really watching the TV screen. She thought about his laugh and his huge happy smile and sapphire blue eyes. She could see him talking to Mr. Dragmire like they were best buddies. She remembered him sticking up for Midna when she was about to be expelled. She saw how he took care of Aryll when he brought her lunch. He was kind.

Zelda sank into the couch. Why was he so hard to talk to? Zelda had never had a problem talking to teachers or even in public before. Why did all that change when she tried to ask him one simple question? Maybe what her mother had said was right. _'No!' _she mentally scolded herself. _'That wasn't it at all. And you know that, it was because… he was in a suit today. Yep. He was in a suit today. Though… he did seem a little odd in the suit. Huh.'_

Her cell phone suddenly went off, shaking her from her thoughts. She picked it up, glancing at the caller ID before answering. "Hello?"

_"Hey, Zelda!"_ Zelda smiled. It was Midna. _"How are things over there?"_

"Pretty good," Zelda said with a smile. "How about you? Are you settling in well?"

She heard Midna sigh. _"Yeah. We just finished moving me into one of the spare bedrooms upstairs. I never knew how many rooms there were before…"_

Zelda laughed. "Maybe you should go exploring this weekend."

_"Maybe,"_ Midna agreed. _"But, before that, you have to save me!"_

"Why?"

_"Because Link is getting off this Saturday, and I have to have FAT."_

"They're making you eat fat?"

_"No!"_ Midna said. _"I wish they were! I call it FAT! It's Family Activity Time and I have play with Substitute Man and it's going to be boring!"_

"Well, what can I-?"

"Zelda," Mr. Hykarin called from the hallway, "Dinner!"

"Yes, Dad," Zelda said. "I have to go, Midna."

_"No! You can't leave me like this!"_ Midna said, as if this was the most tragic thing that had ever happened in her life.

"Good night, Midna," Zelda said, shaking her head. Midna grumbled and replied with the same sentiments before hanging up. Zelda closed the phone and set it down on the nightstand which had her alarm clock sitting on its top. She closed her eyes and whispered, "I'm just glad things worked out. Now everything can go back to normal." Then she headed out to dinner.

**A few hours ago, after school with the Alavryns…**

"Link, is something bothering you?" Aryll asked, concerned as she climbed in the back of the car with Midna.

"Nah," Link said with a smile. "Just a little… tired."

Aryll nodded, but exchanged a worried look with Midna. Link would never admit something like that…

The ride back home was silent, probably the most silent Aryll had experienced in her entire life. As soon as they pulled into the driveway, both she and Midna left the car and went to get her things out of the trunk.

Link sighed as he sat in his car and watched Aryll and Midna go into the house, carrying Midna's luggage. "This is bad," he muttered. "I finally find Wisdom and she's more connected to this than I thought. I just hope Ganon hasn't figured it out yet… If he has…" His head fell back against the seat's head rest in frustration. "Things are about to get really complicated."

* * *

><p><strong>WhiteXIII:<strong> Ooh! Cliffhanger... I think?

**MangaMaid: **It is.

**WhiteXIII: **Yay! My first one! Review if you want to know what happens next!

**MangaMaid: **Yeah. And to all those people who alert and favorite, but don't review... We'd love to hear from you. We're serious!

**WhiteXIII:** I'll give you a cookie!

**Character Index:**

Mikau: Majora's Mask (he was mentioned last chappie, but I forgot to add him... sorry!)

Lulu: Majora's Mask (again. I forgot.)

Farore: Minish Cap (she was mentioned in chappie one, but... we noticed that I didn't list her. I'm sorrry!)

(King, or in this case, Principal) Daltus: Minish Cap (He looks younger, obviously. And, another forgotten one...)

Renado: Twilight Princess

Biggoron: Ocarina of Time

Nayru: Oracle of Ages

Fanadi: Twilight Princess

Colin: Twilight Princess

Gor Amoto: Twilight Princess

Daviane: None! She's an OC, since Zelda's mom is usually dead in the games. (She is named Daviane in this fic because it is the female version of Daphnes-the name of the king in Wind Waker.)

**REVIEW PLEASE!**

Revised: 12-3-11


	5. Chapter 4

**WhiteXIII:**AAAAAAHHH! I'm sorry I'm late!

**MangaMaid: ***Sitting in the background silently drinking water* You do realize that that's only the minimum deadline you set for yourself, right? You could have waited longer...

**WhiteXIII: **...Yeah, but... Just because I'm drowning in school work and extracurricular stuff... Wait... You haven't even updated any of your stories recently... Are you distracting me by making me work on my own chappies because you're drowning in schoolwork too?

**MangaMaid: ***Wide eyes* Uh... You do realize that our conversation is being posted, right?

**XIII: **... It is? Oh, yeah... Hi, guys!

**MangaMaid: **And you missed your deadline!

**WhiteXIII: **T-T I KNOW! And you guys were so great in reviewing and stuff!

**MangaMaid: ***Mutters* XIII, you only missed it by one day. Try missing it for half a year...

**XIII:** When did you do that?

**MangaMaid: **YYH stuff... Which I'm having brain blocks in, which makes brain blocks in everything else! Which means... demon of my heart and mind, help me NOW darn it!

**XIII: **I just noticed that these notes aren't very... note-y...

**MangaMaid: **Note-y isn't a word.

**XIII:**...THANKS TO: Jazzmatazz2000, Blind Pheonix, sakura dragonee the dragon, hawkeye-song, Katia0203, Spaz-attack101, Wishing for Shooting Stars, demon of my heart and mind, zeldaxlink101, Shadowred, Diggs121, Chaotic Minja, and dragoness of storm FOR EVERYTHING!

Now, moving on to the actually chapter. ENJOY!

* * *

><p>Chapter 4<p>

_**Day: Friday**_

**PERIOD: 1. CLASS: History 101. ROOM: 317. SUBSTITUTE: Link Alavryn.**

Zelda's eyes drooped, as she stumbled into the History classroom, late. Tired, her eyes landed on Aryll and Midna, already sitting in their usual spot. They were laughing and talking as Zelda approached.

"Hi…" Zelda said, collapsing into a desk behind Aryll. Her head landed against the desk, hitting it with a loud thud.

Midna said, "Jeez, you look like the living dead."

"You ok?"Aryll asked.

"No… I had a nightmare about Gym. Dragmire kept chasing me everywhere I went 'cause I wasn't running fast enough. And I couldn't go back to sleep after I woke up."

"Ouch… I think Ganondorf causes everyone nightmares," Aryll said, sympathetic.

"Yeah…" Midna said, "I once had this nightmare that I was adopted by Ganondorf and then the next day in Gym, he was teaching in nothing but his underpants."

"Ew…" Aryll said, "Why did you share that?"

Midna shrugged.

Zelda sighed, "At least, it's not Fanadi's class right now. She'd say something along the lines of, 'Dreams have an uncanny ability to become reality. Beware your dreams, young Twili.'"

Midna laughed, "Yeah. Though… I could see it being Link that does that tries teaching in only his sweat pants."

"Midna!" Aryll said.

"Well, it's true!" She turned to Zelda. "This morning, he came running down the steps with nothing on but his pants!"

Zelda blushed as she saw the image in her mind's eye. "Ack! I did not need that image today, Midna."

Aryll looked up at the clock, "Speaking of my brother, where is he? He's ten minutes late. And he's here today…"

"Well, five more and we can leave," Midna said, hopefully.

"Unless, we get another sub…" Zelda stated, closing her eyes as her head lay on the desk.

As she said this, the door opened. Link walked in, in his suit and glasses, thankfully, and headed to the front of the classroom. "Mr. Lucem had some business to attend to, so his Junior AP History class will be joining us today."

As if on cue, the door opened once more and one student peeked her head around the corner. Zelda quickly recognized the large, scarlet hair all that was piled on top of the girl's head. It was Misha, one of Madame Farore's younger cousins. Her two triplet sisters, Kili and Hannah were right behind her.

According to her father, Zelda had heard that their parents lived over in Koholint, an island in the Southern Sea, but their parents had sent them to live with their cousins, Farore, Din, and Nayru, after feeling that the girls needed a better education.

Each girl looked like either Madame Farore or one of her two sisters, Din and Nayru. Kili, the eldest, looked the closest to Nayru as she had blue hair and eyes though her shoulder-length wavy hair was cornflower blue while Nayru's was longer with less of a wave and bright azure. Misha, the second eldest, with her scarlet eyes and hair, looked almost exactly like Din, except for the fact Din was tan and wore her hair in a ponytail while Misha piled hers all on her head. Hannah was the youngest, with forest green hair with matching eyes, and she looked similar to Farore, but her hair was a blunt cut rather, while Farore had a bun. Zelda remembered that Farore had used to wear two buns rather than one, but had changed it to look less child-like.

"Come on in," Link called to them. Slowly, they began to file into the classroom, but stood timidly around the door. "Fill in any empty seats and we'll bring in extras as needed."

Zelda saw a girl with tanned skin, wavy brown hair that was in a ponytail and blue eyes quickly approach Aryll and sit in the vacant seat next to her. She smiled and waved and Aryll did the same in response.

"How's junior year been treating you, Hena?" Aryll asked as the rest of the juniors filed in.

She shrugged. "Alright, I guess."

Midna raised an eyebrow. "You two know each other?"

Aryll nodded. "Hena's older sister, Iza, is friends with Link. Plus, her older brother, Coro, is in our year, Midna."

"No way!" Midna said, surprised. "You're siblings with that loony day dreamer?"

"Coro's not loony, he's just…" Hena paused.

"Off in his own little world," Aryll stepped in. "Like Link."

Midna laughed. "I think you mean planet, then."

Aryll glared at her while Hena said, "Anyways, Iza's been meaning to come over. She keeps yelling about compensation for the help with her business. She hates being indebted to someone, even if that someone is Link."

Aryll sighed. "Of course."

"So," Hena said, suddenly a little shy, "Who's this?" Aryll followed her gaze to Midna.

"Oh! Right. Sorry. Hena, this is Midna, one of my friends in this class." She then turned to Zelda. "And this is Zelda… though she seems to be sleeping at the moment…"

Zelda opened her eyes, though she didn't lift her head. "No, I'm awake…"

"Glad to hear that, Miss Hykarin," Link said as he suddenly appeared by their desks. "Now head up, please."

While Zelda lifted her head, Midna stared at Link, wide eyed as he left. "How'd he do that?" she whispered to Aryll.

Aryll frowned. "Sheik's rubbing off on him," she growled. "I'm going to murder that stupid Sheikah, even if he is a police officer."

"You don't like him?" Midna asked, confused.

"No," Aryll replied firmly. "He's a jerk."

"Why?" Zelda asked, trying to keep awake.

Before Aryll could respond, Link spoke. "Now that we're all settled, let's begin class, shall we?"

Link grabbed three markers. He drew a red triangle, a blue triangle beneath the red on the left side and a green triangle next to the blue. "Can anyone tell me what this drawing represents?"

Several people raised their hands, many of them were of the female gender.

"It's the Triforce," blurted a Senior Zoran girl as she blushed lightly.

Link nodded. "Now, as all of you know, the Triforce is an ancient power that was created by the three great Deities and Oracles: Din, the Oracle of Seasons, Nayru, the Oracle of Time, and Farore, the Oracle of Secrets, when they left Hyrule after creating it."

Impa's words echoed through Zelda's mind dimly, while she tried to focus, '_ He was one of Farore's favorites, yes, blessed with courage beyond belief._'

"Now," Link continued, "Which Oracle created which Triforce?"

Once again several students raised their hands.

"Yes, Zelda," Link called.

"Din created the Triforce of Power, Nayru created Wisdom." Zelda squeezed her right hand as she said this and continued, "And Farore created Courage."

Link nodded, "Very good." He then noticed a hand, being raised by one of the juniors. "Yes?"

The girl, a Rito, who Zelda vaguely recognized from her combined private harp lessons. "Um, sir, why did each one create a different part, rather than working together on each piece? I mean, wouldn't it stay as one piece if they had worked together on each part?"

"That's a good question… Um…?"

"I'm Medli Terramoni, sir."

Link nodded. He walked through the class as he spoke. "To address your first question, each Deity favored a different attribute because they each worked on a different part of Hyrule. Din created the land of Hyrule with her fiery strength; Nayru gave her wisdom to us, therefore creating law, science, and magic; and Farore gave life with her soul to the otherwise barren land.

"Since Din created the land, she favored what she had used to create it: Her own raw Power. Nayru created the law which requires Wisdom to create. After all, if there is no knowledge, there is no law. And, Farore created us to uphold Nayru's law, which does take Courage at times, especially if we've done something wrong." He then grabbed a paper football which two Zoran boys, the ones who had teased him last class to be exact, were playing with. "Isn't that right, Takeo? Ryota?"

Both looked up at, embarrassed, and then muttered their agreement.

"Next time, I won't be so lenient. I don't give second warnings." He then went to the trash bin and threw the folded up paper away. He then turned to Medli, smiling, "As for your second question, yes, it wouldn't break apart if they had worked together on each piece, but then whoever broke into the Sacred Realm would have the True Force and Ultimate Control, which means we wouldn't have legends like the one of the Hero of Time, now would we?"

Medli nodded. "I didn't think of it like that…"

Link gave her a reassuring nod, turned away, and said, "Now then… Midna, which of the Triforce is the strongest?"

"Um… Wisdom?" she guessed.

"Incorrect," Link said. "No Triforce is stronger than the other. In other words they are all equal." He then saw a hand hit the air. "Yes, Tiso?"

"So, then, if they were to fight, how would one triumph over the other?" A Kokiri boy asked.

"Two Triforce must unite their powers in order to defeat one," Link answered.

"So," said a Goron boy, "If Wisdom and Power were to fight, it would be up to Courage to decide who would win the battle?"

"Exactly, Demetrius," Link said. His eyes then landed on Takeo and Ryota who were muttering to each other and irritation crossed his face. He barked at them, "Takeo. Ryota." When they looked at him, he said, "Which Triforce is the strongest?"

The class began to mutter to each other. Hadn't he already asked that? Midna turned to Aryll, "Didn't he-?" She was shocked to see Hena and Aryll's faces looking at Link in horror.

"Uh-oh…" Aryll whispered.

Midna turned to look at the boys, apprehension filling her face. Aryll was scared of her own brother… This had to be bad.

"Er…" Takeo said, looking at Ryota. "Power?" they asked together.

Link's face was irate and his tone echoed it. "You would have known the answer if you had paid attention. You have wasted my and, more importantly, your classmates' time. As a result, you will be writing me a six page paper about the Triforce, where it came from, who created it, why they created it, why each one created a certain piece, and why it breaks it apart so easily rather than staying as a whole. It must be done and on my desk Tuesday morning the instant you walk into this room. If you leave any of these requirements I've mentioned out, you will fail and rewrite it again until you get it. And if I find you have plagiarized anything, you will go to the principal's office with the possibility of expulsion. Have I made myself clear?"

"What? You can't do that!"

"Yeah! You're not even our real teacher!"

Link's left hand hit Ryota's desk with enough force that it caused a reverberating slam throughout the room, causing everyone to fall silent. His eyes narrowed into slits as he spoke. "Madame Farore has broken her leg and will not be back for some time. So, according to the school board, I _am_ your teacher. Therefore, you will treat me as one. You know the school standards about paying attention in class and showing respect to your teachers." When the boys tried to interject again Link said, "You even signed a rigor contract saying that you could handle this class. I warned you and now you have to suffer the consequences. And now that you have violated those school standards, you will now write twelve pages instead of six."

"What? You can't-!"

"Do you want me to double it again?" Link asked. The boys were quiet as they looked at each other, then at their desks, and Link said, "I thought as much." He then turned away, only to see Zelda's blonde hair trailing off her desk. She had fallen asleep after the paper football incident. He said, sternly, "Miss Hykarin, head off the desk."

Zelda didn't stir. Aryll turned to her and began to shake her arm. "Psst. Zelda… Get up."

Midna and Hena both looked at her worriedly, then looked back to Link, who was striding over to them. He walked up on her right side, shooed off Aryll's hand, and he placed his own on her shoulder. "Miss Hykarin. You need to wake up please." When she didn't respond, he repeated her name. "Miss Hykarin."

_Ragged breathes escaped her lips as Zelda gasped and tore her way around the crumbling walls. She turned, her hair whipping into her face and sticking to the sweat that was streaked across her face, and ran harder. He was still after her._

_ "You can't run forever, Hykarin!" his voice called._

_ Zelda let out a small scream as another part of the ceiling caved in before her. She quickly darted behind it and continued to run. She knew the moment she stopped, she'd be dead. Suddenly, her foot caught on a piece of rubble and sent her tumbling down to the ground. She struggled slightly to get up, but her lungs screamed in protest and her legs gave out. Zelda lay on the ground, defenseless. It was the end, and she knew it. She couldn't run any more. She closed her eyes and waited for her adversary to catch up. _

_ She heard footsteps running around the bend, along with a shout from Ganondorf. Her breath caught in her throat. The running came to an abrupt halt in front of her and, suddenly, she was lifted into the air. Her eyes snapped open, her Triforce burned, and her senses went back to work. _

_ "You're going to be okay," said the blond-haired, blue-eyed man that was now running with her in his arms in a bridal style. "I promise."_

_ Zelda stared as her mind registered who the man was. "Link?" she asked, confused and amazed. "What are you doing here?"_

_ "Run for our lives now, talk later," he panted simply as he jumped over an obstacle._

_ Zelda grabbed onto his neck in order to avoid falling out. It was then she noticed that he must've worked out a lot in his lifetime because Link had well tanned skin and nicely toned muscles. And he wasn't wearing a shirt… Her face instantly flushed red. _

_ They ducked around another bend to find Ganondorf standing in all his mighty, shirtless glory. Link suddenly threw Zelda to the side as a blast of magic bashed into him, sending him smacking against the ground. His head gave a sickening thud as it made contact with the Gym floor and a pool of blood formed around it. Zelda stared in horror. She pushed herself to her feet and ran to his side, calling out his name. He didn't stir._

_ A deep, cruel, menacing sound reverberated from Ganondorf as he let out a laugh. "And now," his eyes gleamed red, "You're next."_

_ The ground thudded with each step he took. Zelda tried to back away, but there was nowhere to go. Her Triforce burned harder as Ganondorf raised his right hand, which was also glowing with the same golden light. He smiled wickedly as his magic built up in his hand. Zelda didn't even have time to scream as it began to descend upon her and-_

**SLAM!**

Zelda's head flew up, her hands flying out to clasp the sides of her desk as she screamed, "Don't kill me!"

Most of the class broke out laughing. Aryll, Midna, Hena, and a few other students looked at her, surprised and worried. Link paused, confused.

Zelda looked around, confused, her senses flying into a frenzy. She suddenly felt the sensation of another hand resting on her right one. Looking down, she saw the hand, resting on hers and then she looked up to see its owner. Zelda looked up on her right to see Link's startling blue, confused eyes catch her gaze. Relief coursed through her veins. Link was alive, Dragmire was nowhere near her, and it had all just been a bad dream. Wait…

A dream? She blanched. She had just been sleeping in class. Her life was over. Her dad was going to kill her for falling asleep in class. And Link, what did he think about this? Wait, why should she care what he thought? Shaking her head, she looked at him, with fear. As she did, her hand burned with a sudden fervor. She looked down again to see Link's right hand on hers. Her eyes widened. Had he seen it?

When the class had quieted down, Link spoke. "Miss Hykarin," he said. She looked up at him, fearfully. There was something not so friendly in his voice. "I would like to see you after class," he said simply, he then began to return to the front of the classroom where he picked up a marker and began writing on the board.

This sent some of the class back into gales of laughter. A stuck-up laugh hit Zelda's ears and Zelda heard Mala's smug response, "Wow. Smooth move, Hykarin. Can't wait 'till your daddy hears about this."

Another boy sneered, "So much for being Little Miss Perfect, huh!"

The class laughed harder and Zelda sunk low in her seat. Knowing he couldn't do anything without Zelda having to hear about it later, Link kept writing on the board, but did say, "All right, class. Settle down." The room finally fell silent as the various giggles came to an end. As he turned to continue class, Midna spoke up.

"I'm just glad that I don't have to pick on people that fell asleep in class just to improve my self-esteem," she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Link sighed. He didn't want to have to do this, especially since Midna was only standing up for a friend, but the school rules dictated that he do something about the outburst. Just as he was about to speak, Mala intervened.

"Oh, really?" she scoffed. "I don't believe that. After all, you are just a filthy Twili. You don't even belong in Hyrule. Besides, everyone in the school knows that your family had to threaten the school to get you enrolled and that people are only your friends so you won't beat them up."

Link stopped in mid-writing. In Zelda's mind, she felt that if Link had been holding a piece of chalk, that it would have been snapped in half.

"Mala," Link said, very calmly as he snapped the marker's cap back on. He turned and gave her an extremely calm look. "You were here on my first day, correct?"

Mala nodded slowly. "Yeah. What of it?" Link's tone was definitely way too calm.

Link set the marker down. "Then come with me," he said quietly. Mala stepped into the aisle and headed out the door with Link close behind. Before closing the door he turned around and said, "Everyone, please read the pages that are on the board according to your year." With that, he shut the door.

The room sat in a stunned silence and slowly broke out into muttering as to what was going to befall Mala.

Amira looked around in panic. "You don't think he's going to beat her up, do you?"

"No!" Hannah said defensively, "Mr. Alavryn would never do something like that!"

"And why wouldn't he?" Amira demanded.

Misha suddenly went starry eyed. "Because… Because someone who is that dreamy, would never be capable of doing such a thing." Kili and Hannah nodded in their agreement, along with several other junior girls.

Suddenly, Midna burst out laughing. Everyone turned to stare at her, bewildered. The boy that had spoken against Zelda sunk into his chair as a single sweat drop fell down his face. The girls Mala had been sitting with looked around on the brink of panic now that their leader was gone. The juniors looked at each other in pure confusion.

Midna clarified, "He not gonna beat her up for two reasons. One: He is not dreamy, but he is a brother and two: Don't you remember? When he first came here, he said he'd give a referral to anyone who picked on anyone because of their race. And the best part? He didn't even bother to write it!" Midna laughed some more, "He took Mala down himself. That girl is in sooo much trouble."

As she did, several of the juniors giggled and gushed about how serious he was. Midna shook her head slowly as she watched Kili, Hannah and Misha let out a particularly loud squeal as they talked about how cool Link was to control two notoriously unruly classes at the same time. "If I ever find a guy I like, I am never going to do that," Midna decided.

"Thank you," Aryll muttered as she opened her book to do the reading.

Hena frowned. "I've never seen Link act like that before… Is he okay, Aryll?"

"Well," Aryll started with a worried frown. "He was actually up before me this morning, which never happens, he always wakes up afterwards… so, if I had to guess, I'd say that Link didn't sleep very well last night. Or, he didn't sleep at all." She looked up at the door briefly before returning to her book. "Besides, he's out of his comfort zone."

Hena nodded slowly. "Yeah… He's usually so easy-going and that suit and tie look so weird," she muttered. "And what's with the glasses? He doesn't need them."

Zelda looked at the door where Link had disappeared. He was easy-going normally? And that suit and tie were not his natural choice of clothes? And he lied about his vision? What's next? She shook her head, confused. What on earth was he lying for?

The room instantly fell silent as the door swung open and Link walked in. He quickly went to the front of the room and said, "Now, where were we?"

Misha's hand suddenly hit the air and Link nodded for her to speak. "We were discussing the powers of the Triforce pieces."

Link nodded. "Thank you-"

"It's Misha, Mr. Alavryn," she said, turning pink.

Link smiled. "Well then, thank you, Misha."

The said girl's face went beet red while her two sisters looked on in dismay. Zelda could tell that they wanted nothing more than to raise their hands and to share their names, but they knew better as Link resumed class.

At the end of class, everyone was filing out quickly, heading for their next class. The rest of class had gone smoothly, with Link cheering everyone up a bit rather than being a hovering cloud of misery. Zelda, Aryll, and Midna were hanging back at the end, waiting for the classroom to empty before they dove into the chaotic current that was called passing period.

As they lined up to the door, they were stopped by a voice. "Miss Hykarin," Link called, sitting down at his desk. "I believe we need to speak?"

Zelda froze. She had forgotten that Link was going to be speaking to her for falling asleep in class. Turning around and walking towards Link, she shot Aryll and Midna a worried look. They stood uncertainly by the door.

"You two had better get to class," Link said.

"We have a ten minute break," Aryll explained.

Link gave her a look. "Aryll…"

Aryll exchanged a worried glance with Midna and looked uncertainly at Zelda. Then, looking at her brother, she saw his face and said, "All right, we better get to class, I guess…" She gave Zelda another worried look before exiting the classroom, leaving Link and Zelda alone.

"What did you want to talk about?" Zelda asked nervously. Of course she already knew. She had fallen asleep in class. Her dad was going to kill her!

"Miss Hykarin," Link began, locking the door so no one would interrupt their conversation. "I assume you know why I wanted to speak with you."

"It's because I fell asleep in class… right?" Zelda asked, her tone nervous.

Link took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and nodded, saying in a half-teasing tone, "I'm not that boring, I am?"

Zelda blinked in shock as Link looked at her. "What? Oh… No, no! I just… Well, I… didn't get much sleep… and well…"

Link smiled. "I figured as much. Your grades in this class are the highest. I'm sure you'd pass even if you did fall asleep." He suddenly looked serious. "But don't take that as an invitation."

Zelda nodded fervently. "I wouldn't dream of it!"

Link smiled. "I hope not," he said with a laugh. "Did you eat breakfast?"

She paused for a moment. The question had caught her off guard, but she answered, "Um… No, I woke up really late and missed the ride with my dad and…"

Link smiled again, waved his hand vaguely, and said, "Say no more." He then leaned down and reached under his desk.

Zelda heard the sound of air escaping from a fridge. She then remembered that teachers had mini-fridges and Farore kept hers under her desk.

As Link was rummaging around, he looked up and said, "You don't have any allergies or intolerances, do you?"

"No…" Zelda said, shaking her head.

"Good." He pulled out some Lon Lon milk, a chocolate muffin, and a cheese stick. "I keep bring these every day for Aryll in case she's forgotten to eat breakfast, I woke up too late to cook, or she's forgotten to bring lunch." He grinned, "Thankfully, none of those came up today."

"Ah. I… I can't I'll be late to…"

"AP Biology? Don't worry about it. I'll write Shad a note. He'll understand. Besides…" He looked at her with light in his eyes, "I think it'd be best if this is the only class you fall asleep in."

Zelda turned slightly red as she took the food, gave a quick 'thank you' and sat down at a nearby desk to eat it. Link smiled before moving a stack of papers closer to him, grabbing a red pen, and began reading. He scribbled a few notes here and there on the papers as he went through the pile. After finishing a few, he stopped to stifle a slight yawn and set his pen down.

"What were you dreaming about anyway?" Link asked after a few moments of silence.

Zelda looked up from her cheese, confused. "During class or the night before?"

Link tilted put his grading pen down and gave her a curious look. "You had a dream last night?"

She nodded slowly in response.

"Did you have the same dream twice?" Link asked.

"What makes you ask that?" Zelda asked, slightly surprised.

Link shrugged. "Well, people can have the same dream twice if it's within a close proximity of when they originally had it. I just wondered if it might be the same…"

"They were similar," Zelda agreed. They had been virtually the same, in fact, except for… She looked up at Link cautiously.

"What made them different?"

Zelda instantly looked down at her food, allowing her long hair to cover her face slightly. She was suddenly very glad that her hair made such a great curtain as it draped gracefully, shielding Zelda's red face. "Oh," she said slowly. "Nothing in particular."

"What was it about? That is, if you don't mind my asking," Link said curiously.

"Well…" Zelda finished her cheese and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "In my dream… I was in Gym and Mr. Dragmire was chasing me…"

She could see Link frown a little through her hair. "And he was trying to kill you?" he guessed.

Zelda nodded again and she heard Link chuckle a bit. She looked up at him cautiously.

"That's understandable," he said. "He used to give me nightmares when I was younger too and, sometimes, he still does." He laughed.

"Really?" Zelda asked.

"Yes. Although," Link paused for a moment. "Miss Hykarin, if he really does threaten you, for whatever reason, please don't hesitate to tell me."

Zelda paused, slightly taken by surprised. "Because you're a teacher?" she asked.

Link shook his head. "That may be true, but I'm a brother first. And Aryll's brother at that. If someone's bothering you, then just let me know and I'll handle it." Link smiled at her.

Zelda nodded and was quiet as she finished her food. A thought came into her mind. Finally, she asked, "Um…?" She paused, unsure of what to call her teacher.

Link seemed to figure out she was trying to talk to him as he looked up. "Yes?"

"You aren't doing this just because I'm the principal's daughter, right?" Zelda asked hesitantly.

Link's head shook back and forth. "I don't play favorites," he said simply. "But I do know the difference between a hard worker and a slacker and, luckily, you're the first." He stood and went to the door. "Are you finished?"

"Yes." Zelda stood and picked up her stuff while he unlocked the door.

Link extended his right hand. "Have a good day, Miss Hykarin."

"You too," she said as she shook his hand.

Link smiled. "Oh, before I forget." He went back to his desk, sat down, wrote her a quick pass to class, came back to her, handed it to her, and said, "You're dismissed."

Zelda nodded as she accepted the piece of paper. She turned, gathered her things quickly and rushed towards Biology.

**PERIOD: Lunch. PLACE: Outside. TIME: 11:19.**

Zelda sighed as she sat down at their table. Shad's lesson had been exhausting, as he had explained that they would be dissecting frogs in two weeks, which had sent most of the girls into a fright and it had taken most of the class period to calm them down. Aryll slumped into a seat next to her.

"That was exhausting," Zelda said as she leaned back.

"Agreed." Aryll said, "I never imagined that many girls could give such an ear-piercing shriek at one time."

As they both sighed, Ruto came and sat down with them. "Hey girls! You'll never believe what I just heard! I heard that Mido finally asked Saria out, and guess what she said!" Not waiting for an answer, she continued, "She said yes! Can you believe it? I would've never thought she would, since the last time we brought Mido up, she called him a bum! It's exciting though! Our little Saria, going on a date! Isn't it amazing?"

"Sure… But Ruto?" Zelda asked, "Where did you get your information?"

"Well, Saria told me! Obviously!" Ruto said, looking a bit miffed. "Why?"

"Well, it's just that…" But before Zelda could smooth over her mistake, all the other girls came walking up.

"Zelda!" Midna said, looking at her friend. "You're alive!"

"Huh?" Zelda said, looking at Midna as everyone shot her a strange look.

"I was afraid that Link was going to hold you for detention or something," Midna said. "After all, he held you after class for sleeping in class!"

"What?" Ruto said, scandalized. "You _slept_ in class! What?"

Zelda rubbed her temples. "I fell asleep." When she saw all the shocked looks, she said, defensively, "Hey! I didn't get a lot of sleep last night and I didn't have breakfast! So he talked to me after class about it."

"So what happened? You get in trouble?" Nabooru asked.

"No," Zelda said. "He… um… talked to me for a bit… and let me go…"

"Really? That's all…?" Ruto asked, disappointed.

"Um… Yes?"

"Darn… I figured that he would do something like tell you how beautiful you are when you sleep," Ruto said.

At that moment, Aryll, who was drinking milk, did a spit take. After coughing for a moment, she said, "Excuse me?"

Ruto said, "Well, wouldn't you want a stud muffin like him telling you something like that?"

"NO!" Aryll said, "Do I have to keep telling you, he's my brother!"

"Oh yeah…"

Midna looked at Aryll, "Now, I'm not so sure that I'll be able to sleep in your house now. Especially if your brother's a stalker."

"He's not!" Aryll said, exasperated.

As the conversation continued, Zelda slowly sipped her milk, thinking about what Ruto had said. Would she want Link to say something like that to her? Thinking about it, she shook the thoughts away as her awkward dream came back. Blushing, she forced herself to pay attention as the subject changed to cruel and unusual teachers like Dragmire.

**PERIOD: 3. CLASS: Ancient Runes. ROOM: 113. TEACHER: Mr. Rauru. (Subbing: Shad Studres).**

The clock ticked slowly as Zelda watched its hands getting closer and closer to the time when the bell would ring ending class.

"Only fifteen minutes," Zelda muttered, working on that day's assignment.

"Until torture," said Aryll, thinking of gym class.

"Zelda," said Mr. Studres.

"Yes?" asked Zelda.

"Could you run this letter down to the principal's office?" he asked.

"Sure," Zelda replied, setting her homework aside.

"You can go ahead and take your things. I'm not sure if you will be back for the last few minutes of class." he said, a white envelope clutched in his outstretched hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Studres," said Zelda standing up. Walking out of the door she waved to Aryll.

"See you at gym," said Aryll.

Zelda nodded. She walked through the silent hallways with the envelope held tightly in her hand. She pushed open the office door. The office was rather small. Instantly, to her left were chairs and benches sitting next to her father's office. Just a few paces away from the door sat the secretary's desk. She wasn't there at the moment.

'_I'll just leave it on her desk,_' figured Zelda. After dropping them off, she turned and headed back towards the door.

"Link, you could have-"

"I know," Link cut in. "I know. I was being reckless and, for that, I apologize."

Zelda stopped dead in her tracks. She looked hesitantly at her father's office door. What was going on? She inched closer to the door quietly. Her mind screamed in protest. Zelda knew she wasn't supposed to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help it. Quietly, she leaned her ear against the door and listened.

Zelda heard her father sigh. There was a slight pause before the principal spoke, "You know why I requested you to come, right?"

"Teacher shortage," Link said simply.

"Mm," Zelda's father affirmed. He paused hesitantly. "Do you think he knows… about anything?"

Zelda frowned as she crouched against the door. '_Who are they talking about…?_' Her eyes widened as her brain conjured one conclusion: Ganondorf. She shook her head. The thought that her dad and Aryll's brother were talking about Mr. Dragmire as if he were a threat of some kind… She shivered involuntarily. Wait… Speaking about Ganondorf… She looked at the clock and instantly paled. She was going to be late for his class! But she remained frozen to the spot as she heard the conversation go on.

Link continued, "I'm not sure… but, all things considered, it'd be safest to assume that he knows about your daughter."

"Zelda? You mean… Wait… How did you find out?"

Zelda heard fingers tapping against skin. In her mind's eye, she could see Link tapping his temple. She bit her lip. '_I knew I was being too obvious!_' she thought, remembering the conversation she had had with Link the other day.

"Ah," Mr. Hykarin said knowingly. "Can't fool you, huh?"

"Nope," Link said cheerily. "Well, I'd better get back to class before my prep period starts."

Zelda instantly jumped away from the door as she heard the handle begin to turn and exited the office, closing the door behind her as quietly as she could, and running towards Gym.

"Link," Zelda's father said quietly. The aforementioned turned to his pause with a questioning gaze. The portly principal paused. "I have a favor to ask of you…"

**PERIOD: 4. ROOM: Gym. TEACHER: Mr. Dragmire.**

Zelda dashed into the locker room just as her friends were finishing putting their Gym uniforms on. She waved at her friends to continue their conversation as she fumbled with the combination lock to open it.

"Did the papers come alive and attack you or something?" Midna asked, looking at Zelda's now pale face.

Zelda shook her head in response. "I just lost track of time," she gasped.

Midna shrugged and turned back to Aryll. "Anyways, you were saying?"

Aryll frowned as she pulled on the light gray gym shirt over herself. "It only figures."

Her two friends looked at her with confusion. "What figures?" Zelda asked quietly.

Aryll sighed. "It figures that the only place you'd ever get to meet Link would be at work… But why'd it have to be here?" she asked, frustrated. "You guys can't get to know what he's really like if he's stuck in a suit all day and has to act like… like a…"

"Like a teacher?" Zelda suggested gently.

Aryll nodded. "I just wish you guys could get the chance to know what he's really like…"

Neither Midna nor Zelda said anything more on the subject as they stood in silence. Just then, the other girls began to file out for gym. The three friends began to follow when Zelda suddenly stopped and looked down. She was still in her school uniform.

"I'll catch up with you guys in a second!" she exclaimed as she ran back to her locker and opened it quickly. She grabbed the dark blue shorts and gray t-shirt and changed quickly. As soon as she was done, she darted out the door and towards the Gym doors.

"Dang it!" yelled Mr. Dragmire. "Why do you have to be on time all the time?"

"Because of the hole in the wall," said Zelda dazed and not really paying attention to what she was saying or where she was going, but somehow she managed to stand herself next to Midna and Aryll.

Ganondorf grumbled irritably. "Because that dumb hole in the wall, we are having class outside today. We're gonna play lacrosse," said Ganondorf, ignoring Zelda's comment and leading the girls out.

On the field, as they got their equipment, Midna asked, "Why do boys have padding and girls don't?"

"Because girls are supposed to be nicer?" suggested Aryll.

"It's because they're too wimpy to hurt each other," Ganondorf said at the same time.

"Oh, yeah. We're so nice, we don't play with sticks, and we play with daisies! We go around, singing, 'I'm a Barbie girl!' And making the other team smell the flowers as we score a point! Yeah, right!" Midna said scornfully.

"Why does this stick have red tape on it?" asked Amira, picking up a lacrosse stick.

"It's on sale!" Lila yelled, sounding brilliant.

"That's the color of the other team," said Midna dryly.

The two girls stood in silence.

"So the team is on sale?" asked Lila.

Midna rolled her eyes and ignored her. "Rich girls," she muttered under her breath.

Zelda was on defense with Aryll, while Ganondorf's niece, Mala, was on offense for the same team. Midna played goalie and happily "accidentally" hit people on the head when they came too close. The team they were on was losing because every time Aryll got the ball, Mala tripped her and said, "Oops! My bad."

Aryll glared at Mala as she picked herself up out of the dirt.

Zelda sat quietly off to the side. She kept on thinking about the conversation between her and her dad, and Link. Silently, she decided she would not tell Aryll what she had heard. How would she react if her best friend had told her that her older brother had just gotten fired? Zelda wasn't very eager to find out.

She felt a sudden weight appear in her lacrosse stick. She ignored it. About five seconds later, she dimly heard Mala scream, "MINE!" as she tackled Zelda as if they were playing football.

Amira and Lila dog piled on top of them as Ganondorf blew his whistle.

"Nice tackle, ladies," said the gym teacher, completely ignoring the fact that that should have been a red card. "Let's bring it in!" he called.

"Zelda, are you alright?" asked Aryll and Midna, extracting their friend from the ground.

"What?" Zelda asked quietly. "Oh, yeah. I'm…fine."

The three friends hurried to the lockers and changed their clothes. Midna groaned, "I don't wanna go to FAT!"

Aryll rolled her eyes. "It's not evil…"

"So says you who has been brainwashed into enjoying it…" Midna muttered.

"I'm serious!" Aryll said, annoyed. "Now come on!" she said, grabbing the back of Midna's shirt. "We've gotta go meet Link or he'll be worried." She dragged Midna away.

"NO! ZELDA! SAVE ME!" Midna cried.

Zelda waved. "Bye Midna. Have fun."

"TRAAAAAAAAIIIIIITOOOOOOOOR! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

As Midna and Aryll disappeared out of sight, Zelda turned away to look at the clock. "Well, I'd better go to the car…" Then she left the building, ready for the weekend to come.

* * *

><p><strong>XIII: <strong>How was it? Good? Bad? I'll never know if you don't say anything. Even if you only say that you liked it for whatever reason, that's better to me than just not saying anything at all. :) Oh. And about the whole "nobody who's that dreamy would never do such a thing" quote... I couldn't help myself! I love DNAngel and that popped into my head! (By the way, I DO NOT own DNAngel or that quote either!)

**MangaMaid: **DNAngel otaku...

**XIII: ***Glares* Like you can talk! You look up everything you like!

**MangaMaid: ***Grins* I do.

**XIII: **Anyways... Next time on Hyrule Academy...!

**MangaMaid:** ... You're making it sound like a cheesy TV show...

**XIII:** ... *Pouts* Fine! Then I won't say anything as to what will happen next... Are you happy?

**MangaMaid:** No.

**XIII: **... I'm just not going to try pleasing you any more.

**MangaMaid: **So you're not going to post?

**XIII: **I'm going in my emo corner now! If I don't update for a while, it's MangaMaid's fault!

**MangaMaid: **Hey! You aren't pinning this on me... Hey! Demon of my heart and mind, she has dark Tamaki aura! POKE IT! And all you other people too!

**XIII: **You torment me... T-T

**MangaMaid: **Hey. I'm you're big sister figure, I can tease you. And to all of you, if you don't review, I will hunt you down!

**XIII:** I would take the time to ask how you would do that and then try to dissuade you, but we've been talking for too long.

REVIEW, please!

**Character Index:**

Hana, Kili and Misha: Twilight Princess

Hena: Twilight Princess

Coro: Twilight Princess

Iza: Twilight Princess

Medli: Wind Waker

Takeo and Ryota: OC's! Not actually game characters! But they are Zoran.

Tiso: OC (again... Kokiri, though.)

And that's all! XP


	6. Chapter 5

**WhiteXIII: **I really enjoyed writing FAT in this chapter. It made me happy inside and outside and I hope it does the same for you guys.

And thanks to: Zel87, Dark Linkazoid, Kevers97, link1211, Andy, Jazzmatazz2000, Diggs121, AyuTsukasa, Zeldafan0526, 2q, Kitten-koi, dragoness of storm, Otakugirl 13, Katie, and ChileGira64 FOR EVERYTHING!

I just want to say that you guys rock! And I hope you enjoy chapter 5!

* * *

><p>Chapter 5<p>

_**Still on Friday…**_

**PLACE: Alavryns' house. TIME: 3:10.**

"Well, welcome home," Link said, pulling into the driveway.

"Thanks for the ride home, Link." Aryll said, climbing out of the car.

"Thanks for coming home."

"Any day," Aryll replied.

The Hylian man smiled as he climbed out of the beat up, little, tan car and headed into the house. As Midna got out of the car, she took in the white painted building with its dark green trim around the top. It was a modest house by all means, but it was still fairly big. Three stories big. Apparently, Aryll's grandmother's husband had been an architect and had built it himself for a present to Aryll's parents after they got married. However, since the two Alavryn parents had passed away, the grandma had moved in to take care of things and, later, had Link and Aryll come to live with her… Or, at least that's what Aryll had told her.

Midna gave Aryll a grimace as she lugged her mountain of homework from the car and to the green front door. Aryll pushed the door open and entered before her friend, leaving the Twili to follow quickly. Midna had been to the Alavryn's house several times before, but this time everything seemed different. She wasn't totally sure why but things were definitely more lively and she was enjoying it.

Aryll made the tour of the house short and sweet, seeing as her friend had already been there. They walked through the door to the living room. There was a couch, little tables, a book shelf, and a TV. Just having come through the front door, there was a little hallway directly in front of them that swung around and into the Dining room. Down this hallway was Grandma's room and the bathroom diagonally across. Across from the door of the bathroom was the staircase that led down into the basement. They ignored the downstairs for a moment as they walked into the Dining Room, which was clearly visible. It wasn't anything magnificent, with its artificial wooden floor and simply furnished with a table, chairs and, over a counter a ways away, they could see the kitchen.

The kitchen sat with all its typical things put into its respective drawers. There was a second counter, which could be seen from the Living room. Aryll absentmindedly pointed out the door to the Pantry, which was on the wall (in the kitchen) across from them. The garage door was nearby, but there wasn't much in there besides bikes, a lawnmower and the like.

They returned to the basement stairs and went down. The staircase wounded slightly, but opened straight into the Family and Exercise room. On their left were a few doors which led to Fado's room, food storage, the laundry room and the family room.

"I know where everything is, Aryll, but where am I going to sleep?" Midna asked as they went back to the main floor again.

Aryll smiled. "Upstairs, of course."

The girls quickly returned to the Living Room and went up the stairs that sat by the Grandma's room.

The upstairs consisted of a hallway with many rooms branching off. Aryll named them each quickly as they passed. "Yours is the first door on the right," she said. "Across the hall is a spare. Next door is the bathroom, and across the hall is Colin's room. Mine is on the right side, third door on the right with another spare next door. Link's room is across from mine," she turned to her friends as she said this next part, "Don't go in there."

"Why not?"

Giving her friend a look, Aryll asked, "Do you value your sanity?"

Midna gave her friend a curious glance.

Aryll shook her head. "You'll understand soon enough."

Shrugging the little mystery off, Midna decided to forget about it. There wasn't any need to get to know the random substitute teacher. Midna then followed Aryll to her new room, which she had moved into the day previous. The girls dropped their stuff on the floor. Midna looked around at all the plain white walls, the navy blue carpet and the bed that lay off in the corner. There was a little desk nearby the bed that sat under a window. A lot of work would need to be done if Midna was going to feel at home. Link had said she could decorate it however she wanted. And Midna was thinking black for the walls with the turquoise blue designs of the portals back home.

"So where does Lily sleep?" Midna asked, remembering Aryll's tiny, adopted human niece.

"Downstairs with Grandma," Aryll said as they headed towards the room next to Link's. Aryll had called it the study, if Midna remembered correctly. There were so many rooms that her head was beginning to spin.

"Why?" Midna asked.

Aryll said shaking her head. "She's only four. And Link's not too fond of the idea of waking up to find her dead because she fell down the stairs at night."

"Oh..." Midna said. "Well, it's not like she has to have constant care or anything. How'd she come to live here anyways?" Aryll had told her, but she couldn't remember. "She's Colin's little sister, isn't she?"

Aryll nodded solemnly.

"Why do they live here? Everyone in this house is either too old or too young for little kids like them, right?" Midna asked.

The pair stopped. "We can talk about that later," Aryll said quietly.

Midna cocked her head in confusion, but didn't press the matter. She turned to look where they had just come from and asked, "What's in this door," Midna asked, looking at the one at the end of the hallway. She had never been in there before and had always been curious as to what it could possibly be.

"That…" Aryll said, pausing for dramatic effect. "…is a closet," Opening the door to Midna, she revealed the towels and such stacked neatly inside.

"Oh…"

"DINNER!" a voice suddenly yelled from the floor below.

Aryll looked at the clock in surprise. "Wow. That was really fast, Link," she muttered.

"Wait. He's the cook, isn't he?" Midna asked, cautiously. Aryll nodded. Midna then went a little pale and said, "I think I'll pass on the din-din tonight."

Aryll frowned as she grabbed her friends and dragged her down the stairs. "It'll be good. At least my grandma isn't cooking."

Midna succumbed at the terrible thought. She had heard about Grandma Alavryn's cooking and she didn't want to die a terrible, distasteful death.

**...**

Dinner was quiet from Midna's end of the table. However, the little blond human boy, Colin, had a lot to tell Link about his day and how excited he was for the spend-the-night he was going to that evening. The little boy's blue eyes looked to the table a little sadly as he apologized for being gone on Link's day off. But Aryll, luckily, was much better with kids than she was with cooking.

"Well, if you're going to be gone, then you can play with Link in the evening and Midna and I can have him in the morning."

Colin's sad face instantly lit up as he gave an excited nod.

"It's great to know that you have my schedule all figured out for me," Link said teasingly.

Aryll smiled. "Of course. Someone has to keep your head on straight."

"Then why is it on crooked?" Link asked as he tilted his head.

"I'll fix it!" a little human girl with blonde hair and blue eyes exclaimed. She reached over and pushed Link's head so that it was straighter. She squealed with delight as Link made a small popping noise as she 'fixed it.'

"Whoa! Thanks, Lily," he said, feeling his head as if something had actually been wrong with it in the first place.

Lily laughed and Link grinned at the little four-year-old.

Midna just stared at Link as he tousled the little girl's hair playfully. What was with this guy? Just earlier that day he had been the closest thing she had ever seen to a monster. What was he? Bipolar or something? She shook her head as she pushed her chair back, stood and grabbed her dirty dishes.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," came a masculine voice from behind Midna. At that same instant, Midna backed up, bumping into the person. She jumped slight as her dishes slipped from her hands. From the corner of her eye, she sized up her opponent. He was tall, at least 6' 3" and muscular. Instantly, her hands flew back and socked the man right in the gut. She was about to follow with a right straight, when someone grabbed her arm. She turned to see Link, wide-eyed and she instantly paled.

Link, however, gave a small grin as he said, "Please don't hurt the help."

"Uh…" Midna said dumbly, uncertain what to say.

Link released her fist and went over to the tall human, extending his hand. "Are you okay, Fado?"

The human gave a smile as he extended his tanned arms and pulled himself up. He rubbed the back of his brown-haired head and nodded. "No harm done," he said, his teal eyes shining with some embarrassment of being knocked down by a girl.

Fado? …Oh! So that was that one guy that Midna had heard about. Midna shuffled over to Aryll and whispered. "Fado's the goat guy, right?"

Aryll nodded. "Yeah. He lives here too, even though he's not family." When Midna was about to ask why, Aryll answered. "He's one of Link's friends from school."

Midna's already pale skin turned virtually white. Great. She socked Mr. Substitute Man's friend in the gut when he had already proven to be in a murderous mood. She looked away and instantly regretted it.

Her dishes… She looked at the shattered glass remains and drew back slightly. Yep. She was definitely in trouble.

"Don't touch that, Lily," Colin said as he dragged his sister, who was trying to touch the glass shards, away.

Link turned and looked at the mess. Midna held her breath.

"Would you look at that…" Link said casually. "Did anyone get hurt?" Midna stared at him, confused, while Aryll shook her head. Link smiled and said, "Good. I'll go grab the broom."

"I already got it," an older voice creaked slightly.

Link smiled as he accepted the cleaning tool. "Thank you, Grandma. I didn't even see you leave to get it."

The short old woman's slightly tanned skin wrinkled into a smile. She snickered. "Of course you didn't. What kind of grandmother would I be if I couldn't sneak away from my own grandson? I had a wild streak when I was your age, you know. They called me the White Ninja."

"Well," Midna muttered, looking at the grandmother's white, bun-styled hair. "She's definitely white…" Aryll smiled, but elbowed her slightly. Midna grinned in response as she rubbed her arm.

Grandma Pearl continued, "I even did baseball. And, let me tell you, I had a wicked throw. Nobody could defeat me!" Everyone smiled in response, Midna among them.

'_Yep. It's official. This family is definitely nuts._' She looked around at the individuals gathered in the kitchen. There was the crazy grandma—who was actually kind of funny—the farm help who appeared as a giant named Fado, Aryll, the two adopted little human children… She stopped as she smiled at the two siblings. Lily was showing Colin what a bunny looked like with her hands. Midna smiled at the two. _'It must be nice… having family to look after you…_' She then glanced at the substitute who had just finished cleaning up the floor. Catching her glance, he smiled slightly at her. Midna simply nodded. '_How is it that Link is still an enigma?_'

The said blond scarfed down the last of his food and headed towards the sink.

"Well, thanks for dinner, Link!" Aryll said as she finished off her spaghetti and followed after Link, with Midna right behind her.

Link smiled in response. "I'm glad you liked it." He returned his gaze to the sink in order to finish cleaning his dishes. After he was done, he dried his hands on the little towel that hung from the fridge's handle. He then looked at the clock and ran into the other room. Midna looked on in confusion as she heard footsteps retreating up the stairs.

Grandma Alavryn looked at the time before shaking his head and muttering, "He's going to be late again…"

Only moments later, Link jumped down the stairs and yelled, "Bye, everyone! I'll see you all later!" The door then closed and there was silence.

Midna lifted her eyebrow, confused, but everyone just continued as if nothing had happened. The Twili then shrugged. '_Just another typical thing at the Alavryn's, apparently…_' Midna then sighed. She was glad to be living with Aryll now, but… having Mr. Substitute Man was going to be weird and boring. At least, that's the feeling she got…

_**Day: Saturday**_

Aryll's eyes opened blearily. Suddenly, she leapt to her feet, her eyes alight. She looked at the calendar, running her finger along the smooth paper until she found the day's date and cheered.

"Midna!" Aryll shouted, running into her friend's room and shaking her awake. Midna glared in response.

"Nobody wakes the Twili before she wants to get up," she growled. Aryll's smile remained plastered on her face as she sat on the bed. Midna paused before sitting up, a confused look on her face. She had never seen Aryll so happy before. "Did you have happy flakes for breakfast or something?" Aryll shook her head in response. She started bouncing up and down excitedly. "Did Christmas come early?" Midna tried again.

"No!" Aryll said, still excited. "Link doesn't have work today!" she exclaimed, leaping to her feet. "Get out of bed!" She then pulled Midna's sheets from her body.

"Why should I care?" Midna asked, getting into a game of tug a war over her blankets.

Aryll looked as if she had asked the dumbest question on the planet. "He doesn't have days off of work every day! We don't have school today, and Colin won't be home for a couple hours. So we get him for most of the day!"

"Then you go hang out with him," Midna said, tugging the sheets back grumpily. "He's _your_ brother." Midna could think of many fun things to do. Sleep, for example. Playing around with Aryll and her no-fun, old man, stick-in-the-mud of a big brother was nowhere on her list. '_Besides,_' Midna thought, '_What are we supposed to do?_'

Aryll pouted. "Yeah, but you live here now, too, Mid," Aryll said. "Or did you already forget?"

Midna sighed as she pushed herself into a sitting position. "Just because I'm living at your house and eating your food does not mean that my blood has _magically_ changed to match your family's." She then pointed at her skin. "I'm still a Twili. Which means," she said lying down again, "Sleep."

Aryll was finally silent, for that, Midna was grateful. However, Aryll didn't move. Annoying, but not as bad as what she was doing before. A mischievous smile crept over Aryll's face. "We could prank him out of bed," Aryll whispered in her ear.

Midna suddenly jumped out of bed. "So," she said, rubbing her hands together evilly, "What should we do?"

Aryll smiled. "Honestly, there's only one way to get him up."

Midna frowned as she mentally threw away all of her evil plans. She placed her hands on her hips and sighed, "Really?"

Aryll nodded. "Trust me," she said, smiling wryly. "You will be thoroughly entertained."

**...**

Aryll peeked around the corner of Link's door timidly as she opened his door. It got stuck about halfway open and, looking down, Midna noticed a pile of clothes lying in the way. The blonde Hylian girl kicked the dirty clothes away, shaking her head.

"Link, you need to clean your room," she muttered as she and Midna finally made a successful entrance.

Midna looked around at the small heaps of clothes that buried Link's floor. From her position at the door, she looked off to the left to find a brown desk with a laptop, a couple big stacks of papers and a few books piled neatly on top. Other than that one desk, everything was in total disarray. There wasn't much furniture to speak of, but Link had found a way to make a mess out of nothing. Some of the drawers on his dresser where wide open with shirts and other clothing objects spilling out of it and onto the floor. Looking straight ahead, Midna saw two, wooden double doors that lead into, what she assumed, to be his closet. Thank heavens that was closed. She cocked an eyebrow in confusion. This was Mr. Uptight and Tidy's room? Something was officially wrong with the universe.

As Midna looked around, Aryll made a beeline to the right where Link's bed sat. Link himself lay sprawled under the covers. His left arm hung off the bed and dangled loosely. Midna approached cautiously. It was then she noticed the bare torso poking out from under the blankets. Great… She was in the room of her substitute teacher. And he didn't have a shirt on... One word crossed her mind: _Awkward…_

Aryll began shaking her brother's shoulder gently. "Link," she said gently. "It's time to get up."

Link groaned as he pulled his arm away and pressed his pillow on top of his head to block out Aryll's voice. The Hylian girl pried through her brother's defenses with ease and said loudly, "Link, you're late for work!" She quickly released her hold on her brother and grabbed Midna, pulling her out the door and downstairs into the Living Room.

"What was the point of that?" asked Midna. She cocked her eyebrow in confusion as she watched Aryll lock the front door. "You think I'm gonna run or something?" she asked, skeptically.

**CRASH!**

Midna's gaze flew towards the ceiling. "What in the world-?"

The Twili had hardly begun her sentence when she heard someone trampling down the stairs. She turned in time to see Link jumping onto the main level with a black bag in hand.

He ran towards the door with a speed that Midna had never thought possible. His hand reached out and pulled on the doorknob. Without waiting for the door to budge, Link proceeded in his forward motion, only to make another crashing noise as he violently rebounded off the door.

He rubbed his now panging forehead and sat on the floor, where gravity had forced him. "Ow…" he muttered. "What the heck…?" Just realizing he wasn't alone, he stared up at Midna and Aryll with a confused face. "Midna, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"She lives with us, remember?" Aryll said with a smile.

Link laughed and said in a somewhat childish tone, "Oh, yeah! WAIT!" he suddenly jumped back to his feet. "I'm late!"

"Link!" Aryll said, grabbing onto her brother's arm. He turned to her with lifted eyebrows as he waited for her to finish her thought. "It's Saturday."

He paused. "Huh?" he asked, obviously confused. But, before Aryll could continue, he frowned and said, "Why are you two still in pajamas?"

Aryll and Midna looked down suddenly remembering they hadn't changed. Midna wore black sweats with turquoise blue stripes and a black tee. Aryll wore a sea colored nightgown with red flowers on it. Aryll then looked up and was the first to answer his question.

"It's… morning and… Um… Link," Aryll started slowly.

"What?" Link asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Aryll said nothing, but simply pointed to her brother. He looked down in confusion and instantly turned beet red as he saw he was clad in only his green boxers. Without warning, he suddenly jetted past the two girls. "You did not just see that!" he exclaimed as he took off up the stairs.

Finally, the downstairs room was quiet. Midna stared, dumbfounded at a wall. Aryll gave her a cautious look.

"Midna?" she asked slowly.

The Twili didn't look at her. Suddenly, she burst out laughing. "What the heck is wrong with your brother?" she asked in between laughs. "He just runs downstairs in nothing but his underwear?"

Aryll nodded, smiling. "Fair warning, though. If you ever wake him up with that, remember to lock the front door. He'll run outside if you don't."

Midna laughed harder, her pale skin turning colorful as her cheeks reddened from her mirth. "That was _hilarious_! Do it again!"

"He's already up," Aryll said.

Midna's laughter died down. She sighed and shook her head. "Great," she muttered. "Back to boring Substitute Man…"

Aryll bit her lip. "Well, that depends on you, Midna."

Midna cocked an eyebrow in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Because Link graduated early, his social skills aren't the best. If you act awkward around him, he'll do the same around you." She paused for a moment before finishing, "If you want to meet the Link that I know, you're going to have to be willing to loosen up a little. Just go with the flow."

Midna frowned, but allowed the suggestion to process in her mind. Finally, she made up her mind. "Fine," she consented. "But if he goes back into teacher mode, one word:… SLEEP."

Aryll's grinned reached her pointed ears as she hugged her friend. "Thanks, Midna! You aren't going to regret this!"

"I think I might've already," she muttered, rubbing her eyes.

The sound of footsteps on carpet could be heard as Link descended the stairs into the Living room. Midna looked to see him wearing a green shirt and dark blue jeans and did a double take. Weird. She almost would have written him off for a different person if the image from Link's first day in class hadn't passed through her mind.

"Uh…" Link said quietly as his gaze swept from Midna and quickly away.

Midna deadpanned. "You're not much of a morning person, are you?"

Link rubbed the back of his head. "I guess not," he admitted.

"Don't worry about it, Link," Aryll said, "Midna's just cranky." She leaned over and said in an exaggerated whisper, "She's not a morning person either."

"Oh… Okay," Link whispered in equal exaggeration.

"Yeah, yeah. Enough about my sleep. Let's get FAT over with," Midna muttered.

Link and Aryll gave her a confused look. Link cocked his head as he asked, "What?"

Midna shook her head. "Hello? FAT?" She sighed, "Family Activity Time?"

Aryll groaned while Link blinked. "Midna!" Aryll said, "I told you it's not that bad!"

"Whatever. Let's just hurry up and play a game all ready."

Link paused before asking, "So what kind of stuff do you like to do, Midna?"

Midna shrugged. She could hardly believe she was actually doing this. "Why don't we play one of those stupid 'get to know you' games people always play for no apparent reason." She paused for a moment before saying, "Like that one where you sit in a circle with all of your fingers…" Splayed out? That sounded really weird. "Uh… not… in a fist and say something you've never done. Then, if someone has done that thing, they have to put one finger down."

Link nodded slowly. "Okay. That sounds like fun."

Aryll pouted. "That's not fair! Link would win!" Aryll teased, pushing her big brother slightly.

"Not true!" Link said. "There are things you haven't done that I have!" He pushed her playfully in return.

Midna suddenly smirked. "Well, I'm gonna beat both of you!"

"Yeah?" Link asked, suddenly competitive. "I'd love to see you try."

"Game on, teacher boy," Midna said as the three plopped down in a circle.

**...**

"HA!" Midna shouted, jumping to her feet. "I WIN!" She paused, letting the point of her game settle into her mind. "Wait…" her arms came down. "Now I feel like I have no life."

Aryll looked dumbfounded. "Link actually lost that game. That's not possible."

"Nuh-uh!" Link said, shaking his head stubbornly as he got to his feet as well. "I want a redo! Best two out of three," he demanded.

Midna shook her head. "No! My life is emptier than yours! You'll just have to accept it!" Was it really a good thing for winning a game that's sole purpose was to see which person had the least going on in their lives? Oh, well. She won away. "What? Can you not take being beaten by a girl?" Midna taunted.

Link laughed. "You're not a girl. You're an opponent," he said teasingly.

Midna punched him. "That's it, sissy boy!" She shouted, "Get down on the ground and show me you're a man!" She then lay on her belly and propped her elbow on the ground.

"Arm wrestling?" Link asked. Midna nodded. "I accept," he said grinning from ear to ear. Soon, both were on the ground, and ready to rumble.

"Ready… Set… GO!" Aryll exclaimed laughing, using her arms like flags at a raceway.

In five seconds flat, Midna's arm went down. She scowled. "Best two out of three," she demanded.

Link smiled, "It's your funeral."

They started again. Their eyes locked, each trying to stare the other down. As Aryll shouted for them to start, Midna smirked. Her orange hair suddenly shifted, morphing into a giant hand that grabbed Link's and smashed towards the ground before either Alavryn knew what was happening.

"Foul!" Link exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "That's a foul!"

"You're not a man, you pansy! You can't beat a girl!" Midna shouted laughing.

"Okay," he said, "If that's the way you want to play, then I'll play."

Midna smirked. "That's what I wanna hear!" They both got into ready position, this time, with Midna using her hair against Link.

"And… GO!" Aryll shouted once again.

Midna instantly began pushing her giant, orange, hand-shaped hair against Link's right hand. And, for some reason, she wasn't getting very far. Frustrated, she pushed harder and harder until she won, but the force of her hair caused Link's whole body to fall to the floor. Midna grinned victoriously.

"Best two out of three," he muttered as he resumed his position.

Midna smirked. "I hope you got your casket ready, Linky boy," she taunted.

They started again, and again, but, each time they competed, Midna found it harder and harder to beat Link, no matter how hard she tried.

On about the thirtieth round Aryll said, "Come on, Link! You throw goats all day long, but you can't beat my best friend's hair? That's just sad!"

"Hey! I'm not using my dominant hand!" he countered defensively. "And, if I did, you would call it cheating, Aryll."

Aryll paused. "True…"

Midna gave her friend a weird look before turning to Link. "You throw goats?" she asked incredulously. When Link nodded, she inquired, "What kind of a substitute _are_ you?"

Link grinned as he began to force Midna's hair towards the ground. "First of all, substitute teaching is just another one of my odd jobs. I don't do it a lot and I probably won't be at your school forever."

"Thank Nayru for that," Midna grunted as she forced her hair up again. The two power struggles were at the start point once again.

Link chuckled slightly. "Secondly, my friend Fado owns the ranch in our backyard. We have a lot of cattle, sheep, chickens, horses and Ordonian goats."

"The blue-furred things?" Midna asked as her hair began winning the power struggle.

Link nodded as he forced his tired arm to resist the pressure the Twili girl was exerting. "Yep. Sometimes they manage to get past Fado. They think they're all escape artists, I swear. The only way to stop them is to throw them over my shoulder. Then they just walk back over to where Fado is. And I'll tell you, those suckers sure are heavy!"

Midna laughed. "Okay. So, you're an up-tight substitute teacher with an extremely messy room that enjoys throwing goats on the side? You're really weird, you know that, right?"

"So I've heard," Link grunted as the battle raged on. "And if that's what you think I'm like, then you have no idea who I really am."

"That's what I used to think," Midna said, somewhat defensively. "But now I know that you're just a whole lot weirder."

Link laughed. "You want to know something else?"

"What?" Midna asked, enjoying how much Link was struggling with her hair. Granted, she was having a hard time beating the goat-throwing sub this time, but she wasn't about to admit it.

Link smirked as he looked into Midna's red eyes. "I just beat you," he muttered. Before Midna could even react, Link suddenly gave a giant push and her hair came crashing to the floor.

He jumped to his feet. "Victory!" he shouted, punching the air with his right hand.

Midna stared at him, dumbfounded. He looked down at her with a smirk and held out his right hand. "Good game," he said, panting slightly.

As Midna accepted his outstretched arm, she grinned. He definitely wasn't a wimp. "If you throw goats, then that's something I _definitely_ want to see."

Link grinned. "All in due time. It happens every now and then."

"Good," Midna said. "Cause I want proof that you really are capable of being that much of a weirdo."

Link just laughed.

"Geez," Aryll said, "I got thirsty just watching you guys. Let's get a drink of water before we do anything else."

Midna and Link gave nods in agreement. The trio then went into the kitchen where Link filled three glasses. They all leaned against the counters to rest. The room was silent for a while before Link spoke.

"See? I told you I could beat you," Link said as he gulped down some water.

"That was a lucky throw," Midna said, doing the same. "Besides, you only won once."

Link raised his glass and said, "Yeah, but against your magic hair? I think it was a pretty good go."

"For a pansy," Midna whispered in a teasing sing song voice.

Link put his finger up in the air and said, "I haven't used my dominant hand. And, if I did," he then pointed to Aryll, "She would call me out on it."

"Why?" Midna asked.

"That is a question for a later date," Link said, taking a sip of his water.

"Uh-uh. I still say you're just making excuses," Midna said.

Link frowned. He took a sip from his glass, refilled it and paused. He suddenly grinned mischievously as he looked at Midna. The said Twili looked at him, confused. But before she could figure out what he was thinking, Link had thrown the water from his cup and onto Midna. She spluttered slightly as the water smacked her on the face. She wiped the water from her eyes slowly. Her eyes burned angrily as she looked at Link, shaking her head.

"So that's how it's going to be, huh?" she asked, splashing her cup at Link. He ducked and the water hit Aryll square in the back of her head. She turned to find her brother and friend laughing at her.

"Oh, yeah?" Aryll asked, smiling. "Let's see how funny that is until after I'm through with you!" She suddenly grabbed the sink's sprayer and gave Link and Midna cold showers simultaneously. Midna lunged, trying to grab the sprayer from Aryll. Link followed closely, but instead of going for the sprayer, he began to tickle his little sister. Aryll shrieked with laughter before throwing her cup at Link's head and running out of the kitchen and into the backyard. Link threw his plastic cup into the sink before following suit and Midna wasn't too far behind.

Aryll laughed as Link tackled her to the ground with a huge, goofy grin on his face. Midna quickly came to the aid of her friend. She had hardly spent enough time in Aryll's backyard to know what would be good to use in this situation, but, as her eyes snagged on something, she figured it'd have to do.

Link was tickling Aryll as she shrieked happily and tried to retaliate. Suddenly, Midna came after them both with the garden hose. She pulled it across the lawn, chasing the two siblings as they ran from her watery revenge. Aryll dove at her, pulling the hose away, but hardly had time to use it before Link grabbed them both, threw them over his shoulders and started running. Both girls flailed madly in their attempts to escape. Desperate, Midna started a tickling attack on Link's sides. He laughed, dropping them both as Aryll joined in. Soon, both girls had him pinned to the ground and laughing in hysterics.

Suddenly, a combination of rubber and water smacked Midna in the back of the head. Midna turned around after hearing a triumphant cry from the house. "I still got it!" Grandma exclaimed, throwing another water balloon at Aryll, making her pause. That one moment was all Link needed.

Link suddenly gave a war cry and tackled both girls, causing the three of them to fall into the pool nearby. Midna came up gasping for air and quickly splashing Link as soon as his head hit the surface. He laughed and splashed her in response. Midna quickly swam to where Link was and dunked his head underwater. He sputtered and pushed Midna off with a laugh as he resurfaced.

"Help me out, Aryll!" Midna exclaimed as Link grabbed a water gun and began spraying her mercilessly.

However, Aryll didn't answer.

The two stopped and looked around, fear beginning to fill both of them. Aryll was nowhere in sight… Did she never resurface? Suddenly, their eyes snagged on something that lay on the bottom of the pool.

"Aryll!" Link exclaimed, diving down and grabbing his sister. Midna came over in a panic. Aryll wasn't moving.

Abruptly, her hands flew out and splashed water on both of them before she dunked Link under briefly and swam away. "Gotcha!" she yelled with a laugh.

"You are so _dead_!" Link and Midna shouted simultaneously.

"Uh-oh," Aryll said as she turned and swam towards the side of the pool. Link and Midna, however, were not too far behind. Aryll grabbed the sides of the pool and quickly pulled herself back to land.

Link quickly tackled her in a hug. The two siblings fell to the ground in a wet, laughing heap. As Midna watched the two siblings, the corners of her mouth pulled themselves into a smile. For the first time Midna could remember, she smiled. Not just a smirk, a smile.

Aryll finally managed to get away from her brother's clutches. Link, noticing that Midna wasn't joining in the fun looked up in confusion. His brow furrowed in slight worry as he asked, "Midna, is something wrong?"

Midna's usually playful, smirking face was peaceful. A slight smile graced her lips after Link finished his question. Aryll looked to see her friend's unusually serious face and followed after Link's expression.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, shaking her head slowly. "It's just… I've kinda forgotten what it feels like to have a family." Her eyes began to mist and her voice cracked slightly as she continued. "When my parents died, I felt so isolated from everyone and everything… I just… felt so alone and…" She looked at the two blonds as she smiled, tears falling slowly from her eyes. "I'm actually glad that I got kicked out of my apartment, because… I don't feel alone anymore." She was genuinely happy. She had found her home and a ridiculous older brother to go with it.

Tears fell down Aryll's cheeks as she ran to hug her friend. "Midna," she wailed.

Midna replied by returning the hug. The two girls stood like that, wet and crying into each other's shoulders. After a while, Aryll finally released her friend and the two wiped the tears from their eyes and smiled at each other.

"And, Link," Midna said, turning to the Hylian who was now standing. She smiled. "I've never had a brother before, so…" Midna's arm suddenly came out and punched Link's right arm. "So you'd better not mess up!" Her tougher persona came back as she said, "And if you tell anyone that I cried, I'm gonna kill you!"

Link laughed as he rubbed his arm. His expression gentled as he said, "No problem, Mid." He paused before saying, "But if you really consider us to be family… Then there's something you need to know…" He and Aryll glanced at each other.

Midna looked at them, confused as Link nodded and Aryll turned back towards her. Aryll then said, "Midna," she began slowly. "There's something we need to tell you…"

Midna cocked her eyebrows in confusion, but listened quietly as Aryll spoke. Everything was still, nothing moved and not a sound was made. It was if time itself had slowed to a crawl before Midna's voice suddenly shattered it.

"WHAT?"

* * *

><p><strong>WhiteXIII: <strong>I hope that whole dialogue about Midna's family and stuff wasn't too rushed or random. Anyways, as usual, I'd love to know what you guys think! Was it good? Bad?

**REVIEW, PLEASE!**

Notes to Reviewers:**  
><strong>

_Andy_: Link was honestly starting to scare me in this chapter. And, now that you mention it, I wish my teachers would be a little more firm. J And don't worry about writing on a DSi. I'm always happy to hear from you.

_Jazzmatazz2000_: I'm glad you liked this chapter. I hope the Emmy's were good and I look forward to hearing your spunky reviews. They always make me smile.

_Otakugirl__ 13:_ I'm glad that you like it thus far. :)

_Katie_: I appreciate your enthusiasm. So thank you.

**Character Index:**

Fado: Twilight Princess

Colin: Twilight Princess

Lily: she's Uli's unnamed baby from Twilight Princess, so... yeah.

Grandma (Pearl) Alavryn: Wind Waker (I don't think she has a name besides 'Grandma' in the game)


	7. Chapter 6

**WhiteXIII: **HIII! Look who I found!

**MangaMaid4545:** Hi.

**WhiteXIII: **Yay! Now I'm not lonely in my author's notes! XP

**MangaMaid4545:** But I was enjoying my writing!

**WhiteXIII: **What writing? You haven't updated in... a while.

**MangaMaid: ***Glares* Actually, I am CLOSE to it! And you dragged me away from it!

**WhiteXIII: **Whoops... Sorry! But I needed my editor/co-author! Anyways, I hate to be the bearer of bad news-

**MangaMaid**: I'll do it so they don't hate you! XIII's life is crazy and, thus, the next update may not be on time.

**WhiteXIII:** So I'm coming a bit early this time. Sorry, guys! You were AWESOME with the support for last chapter. THANKS TO: dragoness of storm, whosahassa, Jazzmatazz2000, Diggs121, Colruttiman, hawkeye-song, misszelda3290, Carlson, realperson909, Mr. Hq2q, ShadowNinja1011, Dark Linkazoid, Mitsuki013, nikomoon2, Lucille Dashville, Snowskipper, the big wbm, radar1942, lightskiller and ZelinkFreak FOR EVERYTHING!

I shall write like crazy! NOTICE: There are notes to non-FF members below.

Without further ado, Chapter 6! ENJOY!

**MangaMaid:** And eat chocolate!

**XIII: **Okay! *stuffs face*

* * *

><p>Chapter 6<p>

_**Day: Monday**_

Filing her books back into order, Zelda gave her locker one last check up before finally closing it. She had everything she'd need for the day, except for defenses against Midna. She smiled as she remembered Aryll dragging her away to FAT for the weekend. She sighed and shook her head slightly as she headed off towards her class. She had better be prepared for Midna's wrathful grumbles, because, in Midna's mind, she deserved it.

Just then, the said Twili girl popped around the corner, laughing with Aryll. Spotting Zelda, she grinned and said, "Hey, Zel! How was your weekend?"

Zelda stared at her. "Um… Fine, I guess… And yours?" She cringed slightly as she prepared for Midna's onslaught of rants. Midna, however, surprised her.

She grinned. "It was awesome!"

Zelda's jaw made a dive to the floor in surprise. "Uh… Did they… brainwash you, or something?"

Midna burst out laughing. "Brainwashed?" she asked, clutching her gut. "What the heck would make you ask a silly thing like that?" Aryll gave a huge grin, while Zelda just stared at the pair. Suddenly, the bell rang for them to get to class.

"Well, I'll see you guys later," Aryll said, giving her friends a wave and running off towards class.

Midna and Zelda waved back. Zelda then stared at her friend in confusion. She was grinning…? Zelda had hardly seen Midna smile so much… Wasn't she lamenting the moments she'd have to spend in FAT?

Midna turned to her friend, grinned and grabbed her arm. "Come on, Zel! Get your heads out of the clouds. We're gonna be late to class!"

Yep. Midna had definitely been brainwashed.

**PERIOD: 1. CLASS: Health. ROOM: 111. TEACHER: Mr. Renado Pikes.**

It wasn't that Mr. Pikes' lecture on how the alveoli exchanged oxygen wasn't interesting or anything, but Zelda just could not pay attention to what her teacher was saying. She stared at Midna, trying to figure what could have changed her attitude about the weekend so much…

Mr. Pikes' voice broke through her thoughts as a few papers landed in front of her. "Now, here is your assignment. You may take the rest of the class period to finish it and it's due next class."

When Zelda didn't pass the assignment over, Midna simply reached and grabbed one. "Ugh," she said, rubbing her head. "I hate the Respiratory system." Midna turned to look at her friend. Zelda, however, was still deep in thought about that morning. Misinterpreting Zelda's expression, Midna continued, "It's not like I don't appreciate what it does for me, but… Yeah…" she paused before asking, "You alright, Zel? You seem kinda out of it?"

'_Okay… So, if Midna actually enjoyed her weekend, after dreading it for so long… It must have been pretty fun. I've never seen Midna look so happy…' _Zelda frowned.

"Earth to Zelda! Come in, Hykarin!" Midna said, waving her hand in front of Zelda's face.

Zelda suddenly snapped to attention. "What?" she asked.

"Much better," Midna said with a grin. "I was beginning to think that you had gone off to the clouds and left me to the mercilessness of school."

Zelda smiled apologetically. "Sorry. I just have a lot on my mind right now."

"Like what?" Midna asked, happy for a reason not to work on the paper before her. "Your dad take you to another fancy business dinner thingy again?"

Zelda shook her head and groaned slightly. "No, but I have one tonight…"

"Ooh. That bites," Midna said, cringing slightly. She patted her friend's shoulder comfortingly. "But there are worse things out there, you know." When Zelda gave her a skeptical look Midna said, "You could fail Gym and have to take it over and over again for the rest of your life."

"That would be terrible," Zelda admitted as she thought of what Mr. Dragmire would do if she failed his class even once. That would definitely look bad on his resume. "Speaking of terrible, how did FAT go?"

Midna grinned. "It was fun."

Zelda looked at her friend with surprise. "Okay. Seriously, who are you and what have you done with Midna Nightshado?"

Midna chuckled. "Oh, come on, Zelda. Weren't you the one that said I needed to smile more?" she laughed again. "FAT was pretty flipping funny. It started out pretty boring, but, once it got started, it was _hilarious_!"

"Yeah?" Zelda asked, relaxing slightly. If Midna was happy with just one weekend with the Alavryns, then she would probably be fine in their household.

Midna began to explain the exploits of the morning of FAT and, when Midna laughed, Zelda couldn't help but join. "I'm not kidding. Aryll's grandma actually threw a water balloon at my head. It was great! And Link knocked me and Aryll into the pool and Aryll pretended to drown and Link and I chased her…" Midna sighed contently as she wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. "Link isn't all that bad," she summarized.

Zelda smiled. "That's good. I was beginning to think that I'd have to smuggle you into my closet and have you live there secretly."

Midna feigned a gasp. "Zelda the perfect child, going behind her father's back? Who are you?"

"Shhh! It's a secret," Zelda said, putting her finger to her lips. The two friends then broke out laughing.

"Geez. You and Link both. I don't think I ever would've seen what the two of you have been hiding," Midna joked.

Zelda cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?" she asked slowly.

"Huh?" Midna asked as she stopped laughing.

"What do you mean by 'hiding something'?" Zelda repeated.

Midna's eyes flew open. "Oh, nothing." She then started laughing. "I'm just joking around with you, Zel! Don't take everything so literally." The bell rang, ending class. Midna looked relieved to hear it. "Well," she said standing up and grabbing her things, "I'll catch ya later!"

**PERIOD: 2. CLASS: Ancient Hylian. ROOM: 117. TEACHER: Biggoron Absconditus**

With her eyebrows scrunched and her lips in a firm, concentrated line, Zelda made her way to her next class. What in the world was Midna going on about? She shook her head. Maybe the pale-skinned Twili was right and she shouldn't take everything said to her with a great assault. Midna was a goofball anyways.

Aryll waved at her friend as Zelda rounded the corner and into the classroom. She spoke, "Hey Zel! You finish the homework he gave us last week?"

Zelda nodded as she set her books down and seated herself by her friend.

"Sweet!" Aryll exclaimed quietly as she pulled out her homework. "I did too, but one of the sentences I did didn't make a whole lot of sense. What did you get for this one?" Aryll asked, pushing her homework towards Zelda slightly.

The latter Hylian girl looked down at Aryll's work quietly. She nodded her head a couple times as her eyes scanned across the correct answers, but soon stopped as she found the problem. "You got 'sky' and 'cloud' mixed up," Zelda said, pointing to the translation page and the Ancient Hylian text.

Aryll looked between the two pages before frowning and muttering, "Shoot! I should've known that!" She quickly made the correction and fixed the remainder of the sentence. When she was finished she looked back at her friend with a smile. "Thanks, Zel. I knew you'd know."

Zelda turned a slight shade of pink in embarrassment. "Actually… Your brother noticed that on my paper…"

Aryll looked up at her in slight confusion. "You mean Link?" When Zelda nodded quietly, Aryll continued, "When did that happen?"

"When I went to ask him questions about…" she looked around at the students who were filing in. When it seemed no one was listening to their conversation, Zelda continued, "You know…"

Aryll nodded. "You asked him about Ancient Hylian instead?" she asked incredulously. "Zelda, he isn't going to bite your head off for asking a question about the Triforce."

Zelda shook her head. "That's not what happened. He was busy when I walked in, so I worked on my translation. When he came over to talk to me, he just happened to glance over my shoulder and noticed that I'd made a mistake."

Aryll nodded in understanding. "Yeah. That sounds like something he'd do. Link always has to help me with my translations, and he usually just glances over my shoulder when he does." Aryll placed her cheek into her palm as she leaned against the desk. She looked like a pouting seven-year old as she said, "It's annoying how good he is at it. I mean, I struggle with it a little and he just glances at it and instantly has the correct answer."

"And that's annoying?" Zelda asked hesitantly.

Aryll looked at her friend and laughed. "No, it's not a bad thing. Don't worry, Zel! It's awesome that you're like that too."

"Oh, great," Zelda began playfully, "So now I'm your Ancient Hylian dictionary? Thanks a lot, Ryll."

Aryll's blue eyes sparkled as she replied, "No problem!"

The two friends then broke down laughing. Finally, the bell rang and Mr. Ditus entered the room. He instantly launched into the lesson: fourth declension verbs. He finished his lecture by passing out the new vocabulary, along with a worksheet.

As soon as the paper was within grasp, Zelda began working like a bee. Aryll shook her head as she began working as well, but at a slower rate.

Even though Zelda was trying to think straight, her mind couldn't help but wander to Link. He was definitely a college graduate. He was evidentially good with ancient subjects like Ancient Hylian and history. It was clear why Zelda's dad would turn to him when he needed a sub. But why hadn't he called Link before? By the way it was sounding, Link had at least been out of college for a year…

"Zelda?" whispered a voice. Zelda's eyes snapped back to attention as she looked into Aryll's concerned gaze. Her friend continued, "Are you okay? You just stopped working on your assignment…"

"Huh?" Zelda asked, dazed. "Oh. Yeah," she said, shaking her head. "I just got lost in thought for a minute. Sorry to worry you." Zelda gave her friend a reassuring smile before turning back to her work.

Now… Where had she been? Right. Why hadn't her dad…? Zelda set her pencil down in frustration. Her brain was not willing to drop the questions swirling around in her mind. '_Why am I even bothering with this kind of nonsense!_' Zelda questioned herself. '_It's not like he has anything to hide…_' Her mind did a three-sixty turn as she remembered her conversation with Midna that morning. She paused before sighing and turning to Aryll. If there was something going on, she might as well ask Aryll.

As if reading her mind, Aryll looked at her friend and said, "Just say it, Zel. What's on your mind?"

Zelda hesitated slightly. How was she supposed to put this? _Aryll, I think your brother is hiding something based on a loose impression I got from Midna, so please tell me what it is!_ Yeah… That would go over well. "Well… It's just… I was joking around with Midna this morning and she said that Link was hiding something and when I asked what, she got kinda defensive… Is something going on?"

Aryll paused for a split second before shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know why she'd act like that, but she may be referring to how weird Link can be."

"Yeah…" Zelda said. She smiled quickly and laughed. "I guess I'm just reading into it a little too much. It's not a big deal."

Aryll smiled at her friend. The bell rang and the two friends quickly gathered their things and headed off for lunch. As they walked through the Senior hallway, Zelda lagged behind Aryll slightly. It had only been for a moment, but Zelda had definitely seen it. Why had Aryll hesitated? What was so important about Link that Aryll would have to hide it from her best friends?

"Come on, Zel, let's go!" Aryll called.

Zelda looked to see her friend at the end of the hallway. "Coming!" Zelda said as she jogged slightly to catch up with her friend. The two Hylian girls exchanged smiles before heading to the lunch room. '_No… I'm just over thinking this._' Zelda decided.

**PERIOD: Lunch. PLACE: Outside.**

"I swear, it was the cutest thing I've ever seen!" Ruto gushed as she finally finished her long dialogue and took a sip of her water.

Saria turned a deep shade of red. "Ruto!" she hissed at the Zora. "You don't have to be so open about it!"

"Aww. Look who's blushing," Ilia said clapping her hands together. "I'm glad that your date went over so well with Mido this weekend! It sounds like you had a lot of fun."

Saria looked away, her face hot with embarrassment. "Yeah…" she said quietly.

"I still don't get it," Midna started.

"Well, Saria went out with Mido and-" Ruto started.

"I get that!" Midna snapped slightly. Her tone gentled slightly as turned back to her timid Kokiri friend. "What I don't understand is what you see in that orange-haired jerk. He's been a bully to a lot of people and you still like him? What do you see that everyone else doesn't?"

"He isn't a bad person," Saria said a little defensively. She looked at her hands as she continued, "I just think that he doesn't know how to express how he feels to other people. We've been friends since we were kids and he's a lot happier now than he used to be." A small smile spread across her face.

Aryll gave her friend a gentle smile and Zelda and Malon patted her reassuringly on the back while Midna ate her lunch.

"I'm glad that he can make you happy, Saria," Malon said. "I wish you two luck."

Saria turned a slight shade of pink. "Luck in what?" she asked. "We aren't going steady or anything… we're just friends…"

"Saria," Ruto said with a pouty face, "Now you're starting to sound like Zelda!"

"Hey!" Zelda said.

"At least Saria goes on dates," Midna said as she bit into her sandwich.

Zelda shot her friend a glance that said _not helping!_ Midna shrugged apologetically while Ruto said, "Zelda, you need to find a guy! I can't even remember the last time you even had a crush! And I always remember these things!"

Zelda sighed. Yep. Back to this _again._ "We're in high school, Ruto. I'm not exactly interested in dating right now. I have to keep my grades up."

"Zelda, you never have to worry about that. Besides, your dad's the principal of our school; you wouldn't have to worry about staying in the Academy with him at the head of it. And, academics aside, you don't even think like a teenager!"

"So?" Zelda asked, shrugging off the Principal Dad subject.

"So?" Ruto repeated incredulously. She sighed as her head sank into her hand. "Zelda, what am I going to do with you?" She sat up, suddenly looking determined. "You know what, I'm going to set you up! Tonight! It'll be great. You can even go in slacks, but you'll have to do something about your hair and-"

"Tonight isn't going to work," Zelda said, suddenly overjoyed at the idea of going to a business meeting with her dad.

The blue-skinned girl frowned. "Why not?"

"I'm going to another business dinner with my dad tonight."

Ruto slumped into the back of her chair, grumbling. Ilia then asked, "Really? Where are you going this time?"

Zelda shrugged nonchalantly as she said, "_Romani's_."

Ruto suddenly sat up, instantly interested. "_Romani's_?" When Zelda nodded in response she squealed. "Oh, Zelda, you lucky duck! I wanna go too!"

"You want to go to a business meeting?" Ilia asked, confused.

Ruto shook her head. "Ew! Gross! No way. I want to go to _Romani's_! We are talking about the five star restaurant that Malon's family runs, right?"

Zelda nodded and Malon smiled shyly. "You don't have to say that so loud, Ruto. You'll draw a crowd. We just make food."

"And delicious dairy desserts!" Ilia added.

"And you have a gazillion hot guys working there!" Ruto said. "_Romani's_ is, like, the hottie jackpot!"

Zelda's forehead became acquainted with her hand as she realized the only reason she would ever want to go somewhere would be because of a cute guy.

Ilia nodded. "The uniforms those waiters wear are so hot. Don't you think so, Malon?"

Malon turned a little red, but nodded in slight agreement. "My sister actually designed them herself."

"That's so cool!" Ilia said energetically.

Ruto nodded in eager agreement. "Definitely. But those uniforms don't look good on just anyone. In fact, they won't hire just anybody there. Or serve anyone either. How did you get in, Zel?"

"My dad's a prominent figure in our town because he runs the Academy," Zelda said dryly.

"Oh… Right," Ruto said. "Have you gone there before?"

Zelda shrugged. "Yeah, but the waiters aren't such a big deal…"

"Zelda, when you see a cute waiter, do you think _oh, sweet Nayru, that guy is HOT!_?" Ruto asked.

"What the-? No! I-"

Ilia shook her head. "That's not really Zelda's style, Ruto. It'd be something more like, _Wow. That guy is attractive._"

Midna burst out laughing at the ridiculous pretend-Zelda voice Ilia used while Aryll gave her friend an apologetic glance.

"NO!" Zelda interrupted as she smacked her hand on the table.

"Well," Ilia then said, "Zelda, what do you think when you see an incredibly attractive guy?"

Zelda sat quietly for a moment before shrugging and saying, "Well, I don't really-"

"Exactly!" the human girl interjected. "You don't think of anything! You go to fancy restaurants with your dad on a regular basis and you never so much as look at the cute waiters, much less flirt with them!"

"Why would I?" Zelda asked, beginning to grow impatient.

"Zelda, they're cute!" Ruto said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"So? I don't know them."

"And you never will if you never say anything," Malon finally interjected as she set her orange juice down.

Zelda's head slunk into her hands. "Not you too, Malon," she groaned.

"Zelda, have you ever even looked at a cute boy recently?" Ruto demanded. "Because I'm thinking that you need some serious hot guy rehab. My family owns a resort in the Zora Domain that has a lot of hunky lifeguards, if you're interested."

Zelda was desperately trying to find a way out of the solution, but there were no visible escape routes that she could see from her current position. She looked at Midna and Aryll, who had been silent the entire time, with pleading eyes. They both shrugged and grimaced in apology. Once Ruto got started, there was nothing they could do and they were all aware of that fact. Zelda sighed. She had no choice but to answer. "Well… I've found a pretty good book recently and…"

Ilia held up her hand. "Say no more. You'll only upset me."

Annoyed, Zelda said, "And I am not going to flirt with a guy I don't know! Especially a waiter! It's not like I'm ever going to see them again! Besides, they are probably pretty sick of girls flirting with them. Why should I make their job any worse?" Zelda asked irritably.

Ruto shook her head. "Zelda, Zelda, Zelda…" she tsked. "You can't live through high school without a little romance! We need to find you a man. Now… What is the ideal look for you? Blond? Tall? Oh, come on, Zel! Give me something to work with! Who's your Mr. Ideal?"

Zelda groaned. These conversations never ended!

…

A slight creaking sound reached Link's ears. He looked up from grading his papers and grinned. "Well hello, Ganondorf. What an unpleasant surprise…" The substitute teacher got to his feet and weaved his way through student desks until he was standing beside the red-haired gym teacher. He held out his hand and said, "What brings you down here?"

Mr. Dragmire's mouth formed an irritated line as he pushed the friendly gesture away. "I'm not your pal, Alavryn," he spat. "So don't act like it."

Link tilted his head in pretend confusion. "But weren't you the one that said we were all buddy-buddy last week?"

"Assistance that I am nearly regretting," Ganondorf growled. "Don't push your luck, Alavryn."

Link grinned. "You're right. You need luck more than I do."

Ganondorf glared at the Hylian in front of him before speaking. "Not everybody can be so lucky. And, for some people, it runs out a little too quickly. Am I correct in speaking such?"

Link tilted an eyebrow as his smile straightened into a firm line. "And what's that supposed to mean, Dragmire?"

Ganondorf shrugged, nonchalantly. But grinned within himself. "Well, it's just that accidents happen when people aren't careful. People like bank robbers, policemen, children that fall from trees… your parents." He gave a sidelong smirk in Link's direction.

Link's eyes were cold. "Shut it," he said his voice deadly calm.

"I'm only saying the truth," the Gerudo said as he raised his arms defensively. "But it's really those teenagers you need to watch out for. The academic ones, in particular. They think they know everything, that they're the top of the world, but it's only a matter of time before they come crashing down. Just like a certain principal's daughter that everyone seems to adore oh so much."

"What are you trying to say, Ganon?" Link asked, tilting an eyebrow before looking away in apparent boredom as he attempted to calm himself.

"Don't play the fool, Alavryn. I know that you are, at least, aware of Miss Hykarin's little 'condition,'" Ganondorf said, making air quotations with his fingers. "She isn't as good at hiding her abilities as she thinks she is. There are some people who are much better at it."

"Like you?" Link asked calmly.

Ganondorf nodded as a wicked smile crept across his lips. "Yes. Like me," he said, his hands clenching and unclenching.

"Oh definitely," Link said nodding. "Because blowing a hole through the Gym wall is so discrete. I mean, normal people do that on a daily basis. You know me, I just love knocking down school walls because nobody ever gives me weird looks for doing that," Link said, sarcastic, as he laughed slightly. His eyes took on a serious glint as he said, "Don't waste your time trying to hide it, Ganondorf. I know what you're up to and you're not going to get far, I promise you that."

Ganondorf took a step forward, his eyes hardening as he continued. "You better watch yourself, Alavryn, or the mini-Bearer won't be the only one taking a hit in the dark."

"You can't touch her, Ganon," Link glared. "She's a high school student, you're a teacher. If you lay one hand on her head, then you're going to have a pack of police dogs jumping down your throat."

Ganondorf took a step forward. "She's a Senior this year. One more year and that little 'protection of law' you're referring to won't be a problem." Dragmire grinned evilly. "Then who's going to protect her? You? Ha! Don't make me laugh. You couldn't do anything to stop me at the beginning of all this, and you can't stop me at the finish."

"So those are the little lies you've been feeding to yourself?" Link scoffed. "Then you've already lost."

Ganondorf glared. "On the contrary, I'm only getting started." He started towards the door, opened it and paused. "Just go ahead and try playing the hero, boy. But, no matter what you do, you cannot win and Wisdom will be mine."

…

Third and fourth period just seemed to mesh together as Zelda fretted about the dinner appointment she had to attend with her father. They were, of course, going to another fancy restaurant. This meant fancy dress would be required and that she would be extremely bored. But she would attend, smile, make a few comments every now and then… just like she always did.

After getting home, she took a quick shower and got ready to go. She looked at her reflection a few times in the mirror before sighing at her nearly unrecognizable face.

Her blonde hair had been put into a messy bun with curled strands of hair falling gracefully all around her head. She huffed a strand that was insistent on staying in her line of vision before putting her white gloved hands on her hips. Zelda frowned. Her parents really needed to find a different color than sparkling pink. Sure, it wasn't as poufy, sparkly or embarrassing as the last few had been, but pink was still a terrible choice. However, Daviane had insisted on the color saying, "It compliments your skin tone and violet eyes so well! I don't see why you don't like it!"

Of course, Zelda had been guilted into wearing it. She just hoped that, if she ever went to a dancing event at the school—a thought that Zelda's father was bent on accomplishing—Zelda was not going to let her mom pick her outfit. She sighed as she opened the door and headed towards the Living Room.

"Here we go again," she muttered.

…

_Romani's_ was a very popular restaurant for business meetings, dates for the filthy rich and, in Ruto's words, the "hottie jackpot." Zelda couldn't help but shake her head at the comment as her family was being led to their seat by one of those who could be categorized as such in Ruto's book.

He was tall, an athlete most likely with his long legs and easy stride. His orange-brown hair was combed neatly to the side and gave him more of a proper look and his brown eyes and kind smile were friendly enough, but, as Zelda looked at him, she just couldn't find the thoughts of "Wow. That guy's attractive," let alone whatever else Ruto and Ilia had suggested at lunch. The uniforms were definitely nice and gray was not a color that most people could pull off very easily. This waiter, who had introduced himself as Anton as he seated Zelda's family at table two, would make Ruto's _Book of Hotties_ for sure. Just not Zelda's.

The people Zelda's father was meeting with for the evening, who were all evidentially Hylian, were already there, seated at the table and smiling as the Hykarin family approached. There were four in total: two men—well-rounded and black-haired in appearance—and two women.

The two men could have passed for brothers. Both were rather tall and well built in their arms with thick black beards meshing with their sideburns and creating an overall look of a mountain man. The only difference between the two of them was the color of suits they were wearing.

"Daltus!" the purple-suited Hylian exclaimed as he quickly scrambled from his seat to give Zelda's father a firm handshake.

"Error!" Mr. Hykarin said, returning the hand gesture. "It's been far too long."

"Agreed, my old friend. How have you been faring recently?"

"Just fine," Daltus replied. "And how have you been, Bagu?" Mr. Hykarin asked the man in the red, pinstriped suit.

The red-suited man gave a grin through his thick beard and said, "The usual, of course. Have you met my wife, Glitch?"

"Oh, I'm afraid I haven't! How are you, Mrs. Wares?" Mr. Hykarin asked, extending his hand.

The woman, in deep contrast to her husband, was rather thin and dainty with a red dress to match Bagu's. Wire-rimmed glasses sat on her nose, while her brown eyes peered out timidly. She gave a small, shy smile as she put her own small hand in Daltus' and gave it a small shake. "Just fine," she said politely.

"Oh, Mr. Wares, you're such a gentleman to introduce your wife," said the other woman, who was also wearing purple. Her green eyes sparkled with a playful glint as she smiled. Her hair sat on top of her head in a simple, yet elegant bun. Two strands of hair fell down the sides of her face in gentle curls, bringing plenty of attention to her smile.

Error turned a slight shade of pink, but he gave a wide grin, regardless. "Oh, Freezia, my sweet, you honestly think I could have forgotten about you?"

The woman in the sparkly purple dress gave her husband a blinding smile before standing up and saying, "Mister and Mrs. Hykarin, it is wonderful to finally meet you. My husband has told me an awful lot about how he and Daltus used to take first in science fairs."

Zelda's mother laughed as she shook Freezia's hand. "Though I'm sure he let Mr. Warn do all the difficult work." The two women laughed as their husbands simply looked at each other and smiled.

"And who is this?" Bagu asked, suddenly noticing Zelda.

Zelda gave her well-practiced smile, extended her hand and said, "Zelda Hykarin, Daltus' daughter. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Wares."

Bagu, and the other guests, gave approving nods at Zelda's confident tone. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Hykarin," Bagu continued. Zelda gave him a nod in response.

"Well, now that we've all become acquainted, may we begin business?" Mr. Hykarin asked, motioning for everyone to sit down.

"Of course."

After everyone was seated, Zelda's father instantly jumped into their topic of discussion for that night: computers. The student computers and security system of the school needed some improvements, updates, etcetera, etcetera. Just the usual.

Zelda looked around in pure boredom. Her father and his new business partners, Mr. Error Warn and Mr. Bagu Wares, were deep into conversation. And, being the wives of businessmen, Freezia and Daviane were also occupied with their own conversation while Glitch listened into theirs with a couple shy nods. So, nobody noticed Zelda's evident tedium.

She breathed out slowly in a silent sigh as she went over Ancient Runes in her head. She had a pop quiz coming up soon, she could feel it, and she wanted to be ready for it. Zelda had just finished going through the first set of a hundred characters when something, or rather _someone_, caught her attention.

"And will that be all for you tonight, miss?" he asked a woman just a table away from where Zelda was currently sitting.

The woman, a lady around the age of 25, blushed madly as she answered, "Yes, thank you." The waiter gave a small curt bow before turning around and taking Zelda's breath away.

The waiter's vest, which was made to accent the workers' build, was doing its job very well as it showed his lean figure and hard, broad shoulders, while the black lining around his neckline added a similar affect. The simple long-sleeved, white button-up shirt he was wearing did not hide the fact that he had arms to match what his vest was hiding.

She felt herself turn pink as his he started to look in her direction. Zelda's elbow popped onto the table as she pressed her head into her hand in hopes of sudden powers of invisibility. However, the waiter continued on his way and disappeared around a corner that, as far as Zelda had gathered, led into the kitchen.

When Zelda was certain, she placed her hand back on her lap and, casually, looked at the corner from where he had gone. At that moment, the same waiter appeared, now with a tray and continued around the opposite bend.

Zelda watched as he served another customer with the same polite smile. She felt her own smile creep onto her face as she melted slightly. He seemed familiar, but she wasn't certain why. His scraggly hair was sticking out slightly all over his head and almost into his eyes. He gave a wide smile as he finished taking that table's order and proceeded to the next. She frowned, there was definitely something about him that was familiar, but… Zelda usually remembered the people she met, even in passing. If she had met him before, then why should his name escape her now? She shook her head. This was going to bug her all nightlong if she let it. If she didn't recognize him, then she probably didn't know him.

The waiter moved on to the next table.

Zelda was suddenly a fan of gray and blue. She wasn't totally sure what made that decision for her, but the waiter's ocean blue eyes looked great with his vest. The waiter turned again, his hair—blond and scraggly—tousled in the motion.

He paused for a moment and Zelda's eyes instantly flew back to her own table. She nodded, acting as if she were actually a part of the conversation at hand. However, her peripherals still had the blond-haired waiter within sights. He was looking around with a slightly perplexed expression before shrugging and walking into the back.

Zelda watched until the small-double black belts on the back of his uniform disappeared from view. She shook her head. '_What is _wrong_ with me?_' she wondered as she tried to shake off how she had been acting. '_I just played Eye Tag with a waiter! Now I'm starting to act like Ruto…_' She saw a slight blur of messy gold and her eyes snapped up in time to see _him_ again. He began to turn again and…

Zelda's hand smacked against her forehead as she turned a bright shade of red. She had almost been caught! She growled quietly in frustration, but her perfect record of "No Crushing" had just been shattered, she could tell that much. Even if she hated to admit it. Zelda wouldn't go as far as to say that she had found her, "Mr. Ideal," even if that's what Ruto would insist Zelda's unusual behavior as being. But why was she acting this way to a complete stranger? True, she felt a certain... connection to him, but that hardly qualified for anything! Zelda sighed in slight frustration. There was only one thing she needed to know in order to set things straight: his name...

…

"Hey, one of my father's inventions blew up again and Pamela needs me to come home and take care of her. Can you take my shift at that table over there?" the red-brown-haired waiter asked, pointing to where Zelda was currently sitting.

The blond Hylian man turned with a smile. "Sure, Anton and good luck."

"Thanks," the brown-eyed Hylian man said gratefully. "I owe you one, Link!" He then took off running into the back, so he could change and head home.

Link smiled sadly as he watched his co-worker leave. Anton's family, much like Link's, had struggled immensely. He quickly shrugged off the sad memories that came to his mind about Anton Angustiae's family and turned to the table he needed to service.

…

Zelda's eyes widened and her menu instantly flew to her face as Mr. Ideal, whom she had been ogling at, approached her table with a disarming, white smile. He spoke, "I'm sorry, but Anton had to leave unexpectedly, so I will be taking your orders. My name is-"

"I'll have the Kokiri minestrone, a salad, with croutons, of course and water for my beverage, please," Mr. Error said, impatient to return to the important business conversation both he and Daltus were involved in. The waiter, who had whipped out his order form after Error had started speaking, nodded as he finished the last few requests. He turned with a smile to Error's wife, Freezia, and continued taking orders from around the table.

Zelda couldn't help but frown slightly. _So much for finding out his name…_ The waiters here didn't wear name tags, so finding out his name was suddenly more of a challenge. She could just ask him, but how obvious could that be? Zelda shook her head slightly, still holding the menu close to her nose, and sighed as she dismissed the thoughts of ever knowing who this guy was.

A warm sound drifted into Zelda's mind. She poked her head from her menu to see the waiter speaking to her, "And for you, miss?"

"Uh…" Zelda started hesitantly. Everyone had evidentially finished ordering, since they were all busily into their conversations once more. Zelda gulped. She was on her own. Mr. Ideal was smiling patiently when her gaze fell back on him. Her face instantly turned pink and the menu snapped up to hide the embarrassing color. "Um… I couldn't decide between the two of these," she muttered quietly.

Pine greeted Zelda's nose and she involuntarily took a deep breath in, trying to capture the essence of freedom that she loved so much. There was something else that she couldn't _quite_ put her finger on, but, whatever it was, it was heavenly.

"The fettuccine or roasted cuccoo, huh?" Mr. Ideal's voice said thoughtfully.

Red flushed every feature of Zelda's being as she realized Mr. Ideal's face was right next to hers as he looked over her shoulder at the dishes she had pointed out at random. She gulped as another wave of heavenly pine wafted over her. Zelda tried to speak, but her heart was thudding too loud for her brain to form any words, let alone an intelligible sentence.

Thankfully, he retracted his head and straightened without a response. "If you'd like, there's a dish we've been working on recently that's a combination of both. Are you interested?"

"Yes," Zelda half-breathed, half-squeaked. What were they talking about again? Right! Food! "That would be… g-great."

He gave another one of his disarming smiles and bowed slightly, with his right arm crossing in front of his chest. "Very well, Miss. I shall return shortly."

"Okay," Zelda said, feeling faint.

As soon as his head was out of view, Zelda felt herself remembering to breathe again. She tried to busy herself with the boring conversation her father was having, but she frowned when she realized the pine scent was gone.

"I'm just saying that, combined with magic, the cameras would only pick up images of students breaking rules or taking acts of violence while they're in the locker rooms. Nothing more," Error said. After five minutes of noting Mr. Ideal talking to other customers and taking their orders, Zelda's mind finally landed back to their table.

"Yes, that would be a good feature, but would that make the students uncomfortable?" Principal Hykarin asked Error, his chin resting on his fingers, a stance he always seemed to take while deep in thought.

"It wouldn't be that bad of an idea," Zelda agreed. When the men were looking at her she added, "Maybe they could be hidden. That way, they wouldn't be nervous about cameras." She looked very stern as she added, "It would only pick up misdemeanors, correct?"

Error and Bagu nodded proudly. "We are the first in the computer field to ever bother combining magic with technology. The results of this security system are very high and are well tested."

Just as Zelda thought she could finally get into the conversation and stop gawking at waiters, the pine scent returned.

"Here we are," Mr. Ideal said, handing out the various dishes to each individual from a tray, which balanced on his flat palm, with practiced ease. He smiled as he turned to Zelda and placed a dazzling, delicious smelling dish in front of her. "Here you are, Miss. Cuccoo Fettuccine, made on your request."

Zelda turned slightly pink as she accepted the dish. "Thank you, Mr…?"

The waiter opened his mouth to reply, when Zelda's father abruptly cut in, "Link, my boy, is that you?"

The blond-haired waiter turned and gave a small smile before saying, "Evening, Mr. Hykarin."

Zelda's eyes flew open in shock and she felt herself instantly pale. '_Wait… LINK?_'

* * *

><p><strong>WhiteXIII: <strong>Yay! My first fluff! ... It was fluff, right?

**MangaMaid:** *nods* Yes, it was very fluffay-tastic.

**WhiteXIII: **Yay! Was it worth the wait? Tell me, please~!

REVIEW PLEASE!

Notes to Reviewers:

_whosahassa_: I'm glad you got such a kick out of that. I hope to pull off many more pranks like that, so I hope you'll look forward to it. And thanks for the review! PS: Are you the same one that has an account here on FF?

_Jazzmatazz2000:_ I reviewed? Haha. That sounds like something I would say though. XP And you think Link is awesome? YAY! I'm winning! I mean, doing well! And I always love hearing your reviews and comments, no matter the length. They always make me smile and I look forward to them every time. Anyways, rock on, spunky one!

_Lucille Dashville_: In response to your review in Chapter 2: I'm glad you likey the funny. It makes me happy to hear that. XP Your review also made me smile after a particularly long and stressful day that involves serious lack of sleep action. So I appreciated your humor very much. :) In response to Chapter 6 review: It's confusing? Darn! I'll have to find those moments and fix them. Thanks for pointing them out! Hooray for balanced characters! Anyways, thanks for the reviews!

**Character Index:**

Error: The Adventures of Link (1988)

Bagu: The Adventures of Link (1988)

Glitch: OC

Freezia: OC

Anton: Wind Waker

Pamela: Majora's Mask


	8. Chapter 7

**ATTENTION: **There was a lot of confusion as to how Zelda didn't recognize Link. Simply put, his clothing and hair styles are drastically different between when he's teaching and while he's at _Romani's_. I am a beginner and didn't explain this very well in chapters previous. Link in teacher outfit = serious guy with slightly baggy brown suit. Waiter Link = form fitted uniform and a very big smile. SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION AND I HOPE THIS HELPED!

**WhiteXIII:** I'M SO SORRY! You guys were AMAZING with all the support (you more than doubled your previous review count! O.O) and I had BRAIN BLOCKS at every corner! It was terrible!

**MangaMaid: **And yet you pulled out a chapter… Again.

**WhiteXIII:** Yes. :) I hope it turned out okay… Oh, and I don't care what people say about 7 being a lucky number, this thing HATES ME!

**MangaMaid:** You mean the chapter or the number?

**WhiteXIII: **Yes. Both of them. 13 is such a better number.

*MangaMaid coughs, "Roxas fangirl!"* **XIII:** … So? *blushes then glares*

**MangaMaid:** ^^' Anywhos! Doesn't 7 always hate you, though?

**WhiteXIII:** Every day… Anyways, all that aside, THANKS TO: Astra'shadow, Jazzmatazz2000, whosahassa, circlesnothearts, SSBB Gamer, 2q, Snowskipper, AyuTsukasa, Lavender Parkway, Kablamo, aprilo, ericcarrtmen 14, dragoness of storm, Sapphiet, IThinkIHaveATwinSister, Diggs121, ShadowMario3, nikomoon2, KaRath, NeverAlone4113, MeantForMe, HeroofTwilightsgf, Mizunou, Mysticbreeze327, Faustus Pendragon, Dark Linkazoid, LZfanatic12, JM, ZeLinkFanGirl, Random asian guy, Lost In Dreams19, and InTheYearOfTheCat FOR EVERYTHING!

You guys rock!

Enjoy Chappie 7! (Even though it hated me to no end.)

* * *

><p>Chapter 7<p>

Desert sands filled up Zelda's mouth, stealing any moisture that had been there a moment ago and replaced it with an incredibly uncomfortable dryness. However, this was nothing compared to the horror that was running through her mind. It was only one word, a word in which her parents had taken the painstakingly long amount of time to cure her of ever saying or thinking: _Crap_.

There. She thought it. Years of countless scolding over that one word were now wasted. But Zelda couldn't help it as her brain struggled to keep up with all the events that were occurring around her.

_'I just played the Eye Game with ARYLL'S OLDER BROTHER?_' Zelda thought in complete panic. "I am such a terrible friend," she muttered under her breath as she attempted to bury her face, which was now searing hot with embarrassment. However, nobody seemed to hear her as her parents and their business associates were busy catching up with the said Alavryn.

"Wait... Link Alavryn?" Error asked incredulously.

Link nodded sheepishly. "Hello, sir," he said with a polite nod. "How has the business been?"

Error leaped to his feet and shook Link's hand firmly. "Wonderful! Thanks for asking, lad. Though it hasn't been the same since your internship ended there. How long has it been? Two years? I haven't seen you since! How have you been?"

"Just fine, thank you," Link said, returning the handshake.

Error laughed. "And you've even improved your handshake! Good on ya!"

"Wait… Link had a job with your company?" Daltus asked in mild surprise.

"Of course! And he was one of the best we've had. Shame we had to let him go, but it seems he's faring just fine," Error said.

Bagu laughed as he also got to his feet to shake Link's hand. "Oh! And speaking of business," Bagu shoved his hand into his coat pocket as he fished out a business card. "I need a favor. Do you think you could give me a call whenever it's convenient for you?" The business man handed the card to Link who regarded it for a moment before smiling and slipping the card into his own pocket.

"Anything for a friend," Link said.

"Splendid!" Bagu said, grinning widely.

"Link, you never told me you knew how to work a computer," Daltus said.

Link shrugged. "Only a little bit. I was mostly on-the-phone tech support."

"And he was good at it," Error added.

Link's ears were turning a slight shade of pink. "There never were that many problems that I actually fixed…"

"Yes, but you certainly got a lot of phone calls!" Error said, elbowing Link in the side. "All those poor, helpless damsels certainly appreciated your help, too."

Zelda peered at Link through her laced fingertips as her mind mentally agreed. _'Yeah. He definitely has that affect on women…_' she thought, her mind thinking of the twenty-five-year old woman he had taken orders from a few minutes ago. Then again, '_My face got pretty red, too,_' her mind pointed out. "Shut up, brain," Zelda muttered. Still, it seemed nobody heard her.

Link's ears finished turning red as he opened his mouth to protest Error's comment, however, Freezia had other plans in mind.

The said woman jumped to her feet, her sparkling purple dress sent beams of light dancing around the surrounding objects as she quickly re-introduced herself. "Well, Link Alavryn, it's about time I finally got to see you again! It's been ages since you've been on tech support. And, oh my, you have certainly grown! But you are looking a might bit pale. Are you feeling alright? Have you been eating well? Oh, don't tell me you don't know how to cook when you work at a place like this?"

"Well-"

"Oh, but I'm sure, as a bachelor, you can cook quite well! But then again, you still live at home with your grandmother and your sister. Speaking of which, how are they? I trust you've been taking great care of your little sister. She is, after all, the only sibling you've seen in years! At least you've heard from Raven. How is he enjoying school? Oh, I'm sure he's fine. He truly has a great mind after all. I suppose it runs in the family. Your father was a great doctor as well. I'm sure Raven will do fabulously."

Link seemed to be rather dazed by all the questions that were being flung at him in rapid succession by this sparkly devil. To Zelda, it seemed as if his brain had shut down from lack of oxygen. However, he said, "Why thank you. Aryll and Pearl are doing just fine. And I'll make sure to tell Raven 'hi' for you."

"Wonderful!" Freezia beamed.

"It's nice to meet you," a voice said timidly. Zelda turned in surprise as Glitch arose from her seat and extended her hand towards Link. "My husband always spoke so highly of you, but, obviously, we were never properly introduced until now," she gave Link a polite smile and Bagu grinned with embarrassment.

"Do you still get a lot of phone calls, Link?" Freezia interjected after Glitch was done with her introduction. Link turned towards the sparkly dressed woman in slight confusion. Without explanation, Freezia continued, "I mean, it would be no wonder why you would get so many calls, I'm sure those girls liked what they hear on that phone as much as other girls like what they see."

Link's eyebrows raised. "Excuse me?" he asked, stunned. And he thought Freezia's vicious onslaught had been over… How had they even gotten back to this subject?

"Oh, don't be so modest. I'm sure you were quite the popular boy with the ladies in high school."

"Uh… No, I wasn't really-"

"Oh, come now, don't be so shy. I know it's true, I can see these things without a doubt. You're a looker and some women just can't resist that." When it seemed her onslaught was over, Link opened his mouth to excuse himself from their table when Freezia continued. "And if you refuse to believe that's true, then hear this now! The emotions of women simply pop out at me and it's only plain to see that you would grab a lot of attention. In fact, I can look around this room right now and point them out."

Zelda, who wasn't paying an awful lot of attention to the subject at hand, could tell where this situation was headed: her. She did not need her family, and Link for that matter, seeing her in this state. She had to do something and quick! However, before she could say anything-

"Hey Link!" called a masculine voice as a large, burly man walked over to the said waiter with a sleepy, yet polite expression on his face. "You're needed at table seven."

Link nodded, looking relieved to have an excuse to leave. He gave a small, polite smile to Zelda's table and said, "Enjoy your meal," before disappearing around the corner. The burly man gave a similar smile and a slight bow before disappearing into the staff area.

Zelda couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. That had been much too close for comfort. She glanced at the group of adults as they sat down, Freezia looking disappointed. However, in a matter of minutes, Daltus and company had picked up the discussion of their business once more as they dug into the food Link had brought.

Zelda stared down at her food, a majority of her appetite lost. '_How could I do that?_' Zelda asked herself miserably. She picked up her fork and poked at the Cuccoo and noodles sitting on her plate. Well, she couldn't just let it go to waste, she had ordered off of the menu after all, even if she was feeling miserable and treacherous beyond compare.

Her mouth clamped, delicately, down on her fork and her eyes widened in surprise. She looked down at the dish and quickly took another bite. It was…

"How is your food, Zelda?" Daviane asked as she briefly pulled herself from the business conversation.

"Delicious," Zelda muttered slowly. How was this not on the menu? She bent down and took another bite, savoring the slight tang of the cucco with the cream of the noodle's sauce.

Daviane smiled at her daughter, glad she was having a good time for once, before instantly getting pulled back into business. It seemed, somehow, businessmen could talk very efficiently between bites of grade-A dining.

Zelda could feel her mouth watering as she took each bite of her own meal. Within mere moments, half the contents of her plate had disappeared into her stomach. As she was about to take another bite, her eyes focused again of the golden mop that was Link's hair. And where there was Link's hair, there was bound to be a Link attached.

She quickly looked down to avoid seeing his smile, and just in time, too. Just as her gaze went back to her food, Link turned to see where the feeling of being watched was coming from. He frowned as he saw nobody and shook his head before disappearing into the staff area.

Unbeknownst to the both of them, there was another person watching their little soiree with interested, gleaming eyes. Unheard, they muttered, "Hm… Well this is an interesting development, indeed."

Zelda focused back on eating and never taking her eyes off her plate. Just when she was beginning to gain some confidence in herself, Link stepped over to their table, causing her to look up.

"And how are we doing?" he asked.

Bagu grinned, "Ah, Link. There you are. I have a favor to ask. Could you get some of the best cider _Romani's_ has to offer?"

Link cocked an eyebrow, "You want… cider?"

"Oh, come now, Link. I know the rules here, especially concerning minors and alcoholic beverages. So yes, cider. The best."

Link bowed. "As you wish." He turned away and dutifully walked off towards the back room.

A few moments later, Link returned with a fancy bottle labeled _Telma's Sparkling Cider_. He then quickly proceeded to fill the stem glasses for each of the persons at Zelda's table, including Zelda herself.

The younger Hykarin gave him a small, polite smile as he finished serving her. He grinned in response before straightening and asking, "Can I help you with anything else?"

Error shook his head. "No, but thank you, lad."

Link gave another bow, but before he could turn and service other tables, Freezia stopped him. "Wait a minute, Link." She began to size him up. "Do you think you could turn around for me, dear?"

Link appeared to be confused, but he complied.

"A little slower, dear," Freezia said as Link turned a little too quickly. "I want to get a good look at you… Don't be shy! Turn."

Once again, he complied, but slower this time. As he turned, Freezia nodded appraisingly and, when he had gone a full 360°, she grinned with delight. "You're perfect!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, no…" Error muttered as he gave Link an apologetic look. "She's found another victim."

"What?" Link asked, slightly confused.

"Never mind him, darling," Freezia said, waving off her husband's comment. "How tall are you?"

"Uh… six feet."

"Hm… Good height," Freezia muttered to herself, her hand on her chin.

Zelda, who was trying to finish off her food, mentally agreed.

"You've got nice broad shoulders… You've got a good physique, too… Definitely something I'm looking for…"

_True._ Zelda's mind agreed quietly.

Link's eyes widened. "Um…"

"Freezia, dear, you're frightening the poor boy," Error said, jumping in.

"Hm?" Freezia looked up at Link's expression before laughing slightly. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Link. I'm not trying to flirt with you or anything. I'm thinking of offering you a job."

"Oh," Link said, smiling, looking slightly confused. "Do you need me in construction or something?"

Freezia laughed. "Oh, really, dear? You think I run a construction business? Oh, my!" She laughed a little harder into her hand. As she regained her composure she said, "Oh, no. Zelda here knows what I do. Why don't you ask her?"

Link turned to Zelda in surprise. "Miss Hykarin?" he asked cautiously.

Zelda looked up in surprise. "Huh?" Her hand came up, accidentally making contact with her glass and effectively spilling its contents all over her. "Ah!" she exclaimed, more out of embarrassment than anything. Her face began to turn red as she stood, "Please excuse me for a moment."

Link moved to the side a bit so Zelda could weave her way around him. However, at the exact moment Zelda stood, her evil pink dress decided it was the best moment in the world to become an obstacle for her to trip over. As the acquaintance between her heeled shoes and her dress was met, Zelda began to capsize.

Suddenly, a hand shot out and caught Zelda around her waist. She twisted slightly in the air as she came to face right side up, facing her savior, who's own face was only three inches away. Red flushed her every feature as she pulled herself to her feet and shoved Link away slightly. She tried to push past the said waiter, but her foot snagged on the leg of her chair and she felt herself fall forward once more.

As she stretched her hands to break her fall, she clenched her eyes shut, and her hands came into contact with something. A moment later, she was on the ground on top of something soft.

Her eyes snapped open and she stared into startled blue pools for a fraction of a second. Her mind flung itself around in a wild frenzy as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. She pushed herself up and she felt Link's firm chest heave slightly beneath her hands. Her face flushed an even deeper shade as she quickly moved one hand down to aid her in her attempt to sit up, before she realized that her hands were on his abdominal muscles. She yelped in embarrassment as she finally got up, unpinning Link.

"I'm sorry!" she squeaked out before darting away.

Glitch jumped to her feet and followed the poor, embarrassed girl to the ladies washroom.

Link laid on the ground, his mind still trying to process why Zelda had suddenly disappeared. He sat up slowly, his brow furrowed and his head pounding painfully. He stood up regardless, dusting his pants and trying to look somewhat normal after being a cushion for a falling customer.

Mr. Hykarin, who hadn't seen much of the event, turned to his wife and asked, "Why do I feel I missed something crucial?"

Link's face flushed slightly as soon as he heard Mrs. Hykarin reply, "Ooh! I wish I had had a video camera!"

…

Cold stabbed at Zelda's nerves as she patted water on whatever inch of her face that wasn't covered in make-up. She turned off the facet and stared up at the half-stranger in the mirror with a sigh. What was wrong with her? Seen him before? YES! IN A _CLASSROOM_! How could she have been so stupid!

She growled in frustration. Noticing the familiar burning sensation, Zelda looked down at her Triforce and frowned. "What?" she asked it. "Do you know something?"

It only burned in response.

Zelda hung her head above the sink, pieces of her hair falling from her messy bun and into her face. Her heartbeat finally slowed and her mind went back to work.

After meeting Link in class, Zelda couldn't help but wonder why Aryll loved being around him so much. He was stern, almost scary and hardly ever smiled. But without Link's baggy, brown suits, thick-rimmed glasses and stern behavior he was a completely different person. He actually smiled…

'_And had Pecs and at least a six pack,_' her mind added.

"Shut up!" she yelled at her brain. Her skin continued to burn and her heart ached harder at the thought of what Aryll would have to say about all this… Her mind flashed back to the moment when Link's face had been inches from her own. She shook her head and let it sink further down.

"Zelda, are you alright?" came Glitch's soft voice.

Zelda looked up at the timid woman and shook her head miserably.

Glitch walked towards the sink where Zelda was standing and hooked her arm around Zelda's shoulders. "It's okay," she said soothingly as Zelda buried her face into the woman's shoulder. "This is exactly how I met Bagu… except I accidentally kissed him as well."

Oh, the Oracles forbid! If she had kissed Link… She groaned as she placed her head back on Glitch's shoulder, at least she hadn't _kissed_ him. There would be no way she could face Aryll after that.

Glitch smiled. "What's bothering you about all this?"

Zelda hesitated. "I played Eye Tag with a waiter, gotten three inches away from that waiter's face and then fell on top of him. And I really don't want to know what his sister, my best friend, Aryll, has to say about it." Zelda rambled quietly.

Glitch nodded understandingly. "Well, you should just tell your friend. It's not that big of a deal, Zelda sweetie. I'm sure your friend will understand."

Zelda nodded. She knew this was true… But, in all honesty, she felt something else in the back of her mind about this situation, but she wasn't one hundred percent sure as to what it was. There had been a lot of people watching, but Zelda had dealt with stage fright before and this sensation was definitely different. It wasn't even a fearful sensation… Her mother's words poked its way into her head and she quickly shook them off. No, there was no way that could be true. She didn't remembering knowing him as a little girl, why would she have a crush on him after all these years?

"Are you ready to get back to the table?" Glitch asked, interrupting Zelda's thoughts.

Zelda looked up at her, quickly realizing that her trembling had stopped. She nodded slowly and Glitch took Zelda's shoulder and gently guided her out the bathroom door.

…

For the rest of the evening, Zelda had avoided meeting Link's gaze at all cost. Instead, she occupied her time shredding bits of paper she had found in her purse and making a beautiful mess on her now empty plate.

Zelda's mother looked at her and instantly bit her lip. Her mother senses were tingling. Shredding paper was a nervous habit of Zelda's… Something was definitely going on with her daughter. But the lack of privacy kept her from asking what. Instead, she patted her daughter's shoulders reassuringly and continued with the conversation.

They'd have to talk later.

It seemed like an eternity, but the two and a half hour business meeting was finally over. Daltus, Error and Bagu were laughing at some shared joke, Freezia was talking to Link, who's eyes went wide at a comment she made, and Daviane and Glitch stood silently by Zelda's side. Zelda herself was almost overjoyed to go home. The only problem: she now needed to call Aryll.

…

Zelda stared at the piece of blue, black and silver plastic as she debated her decision. The tri-colored plastic stared lifelessly back at her. Zelda sighed and flipped it open to the glowing numbers. The cell phone had won. She would call Aryll now.

She dialed in the Alavryn's house number and waited. It rang a couple times before a quiet, masculine voice answered, "_Hello?_"

Zelda promptly screamed and ended the phone call. Link was home already? Geez! He was everywhere! Realizing that the voice on the other end was too deep to be Link's, Zelda slapped her forehead in embarrassment. "Sorry, Fado," she muttered quietly.

She groaned. That had gone well. She stared at the phone again before flipping it open and dialing Midna's cell. '_Maybe it would be best to get some advice on this…_' Zelda thought as she waited rather impatiently for her friend to pick up.

"_Hey, Zel. You didn't die at that dinner! Good job!_" Midna's voice said jokingly as she finally answered.

"Yeah," Zelda said dismissively. "Mid… I got a problem…"

"_Oh, man… You know, Zel, I'm really not the best person to play Psychiatrist with._"

"Midna, I played the Eye Game with a waiter at _Romani's_ today!" she blurted.

The Twili was silent for a moment before speaking, "_Oh, no._"

"I know. I didn't mean to… It was an accident, I swear! I just-"

"_Is Ruto-itis infectious or something? Because I really, really don't want to catch whatever girly disease she has polluted you with._"

"What?" Zelda asked, slightly taken aback by Midna's half-joking tone. "No! Midna, this is serious! I'm in serious trouble!"

Midna's voice suddenly turned deadly serious. "_What happened, Zel? Did some guy insult you? Are you hurt? Who needs a pounding Midna Style?_"

"No! Not that kind of trouble, Midna! I'm fine; nobody's hurt me in any way, shape or form!" Zelda said, desperately trying to calm her friend down.

"_Well if nothing happened, then why are you freaking out?_"

Imagining Midna beating the tar out of her legal guardian suddenly popped into existence in Zelda's mind. She grimaced. Maybe calling Midna wasn't the best idea after all… "Uh… I'll call you later, Midna! I got, uh… homework to do! Bye!"

Despite Midna's many complaints from the other end, Zelda hung up the phone. That hadn't helped at all. "Now what?" she asked her hand quietly. Her Triforce, after leaving the restaurant, had finally calmed down and was currently sitting quietly on her hand.

Hearing no suggestions, Zelda bit her lip as she realized there was only one person that could help her sort through all this. She needed an expert, a "hottie" expertise and overall romance guru: she needed Ruto.

"_Hey, Zel!_" came the bubbly answer of the said Zora female. "_I just got off the phone with my cousin Lulu and she said she's coming to town next weekend! AAAHH! I'm sooo excited. Plus, she said that she had met a nice, young Zora guy, he's our age by the way, and set us up on a blind date! EEE! I could just die of excitement. He's coming down with them and I have no idea what to wear! Do you have any suggestions? I was thinking of the white and gold trimmed dress that I have, but since it's white, I don't want him thinking that I want to get married yet or anything. Ooh! Ooh! Do you think the purple satin-?_"

"Ruto! I played the Eye Game with a waiter today!" Zelda blurted, unable to contain herself any longer.

Her outburst was met by a few moments of silence before Ruto gave off another high-pitched, girl-ish squeal. "_Oh, Zellie, I'm so proud of you! Was he cute? Did you put your name and number on a napkin and give it to him? Oh! But you're not like that, are you? Did you at least get his name? Give me details, girl!_"

"Unfortunately, yes, I did get his name. And you know this person too…"

"_Really? Was it Anton? Oh! I should have known! He just has the nicest shade of red-brown hair and-_"

"It was Link."

Dead silence.

Ruto then screamed again, but this time it wasn't so fan-girly. "_WHAT? YOU FLIRTED WITH YOUR DAD'S EMPLOYEE? AND A TEACHER TO BOOT? Zelda, I always knew that you liked smart guys, but that's just ridiculous!_"

Teacher? Zelda's face paled instantly. She had hardly thought about that. She was so dead. Especially if her dad found out… Zelda groaned and slapped her forehead. Why were things getting so complicated so suddenly?

"_I mean, Mr. Alavryn? Geez! What'd Aryll say when you told her?_"

"Uh… That's kinda a reason I called… I haven't exactly… told her yet."

More silence. "_I'll come to your funeral, girl._"

"Ruto! I need your help!"

"_I don't know what to do! I mean, it's okay to harbor a secret crush on a teacher. That's just cute, harmless forbidden love! But you actually _flirted_ with him?_"

"It was just the Eye Game! And only on my part!"

"_Well… Do you actually… I don't know, like him?_" Ruto asked hesitantly.

"What? No way!" Zelda immediately snapped into the receiver.

"_Okay, okay. I'm just checking. Don't bite my head off, Zel._"

"Sorry. I just… I don't know what to do. Ruto, this is your field of expertise. What should I do?"

"_Uh… Okay. Since I'm apparently an expert at awkward romance scenes, here's my advice…Hm…Oh! I just thought of something! Mr. Alavryn must look pretty darn smexy in Romani's uniforms to make you go crazy out of your mind._"

"Ruto! Not helping!"

"_I'm sorry! Focusing! I am focused! … Oh, I got nothing! I don't know what to tell you, Zel. But I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. With your anti-dating views, I'm sure you'll be fine._"

"Are you sure?" Zelda asked, the thumping in her heart coming to a decrescendo.

"_… Uh… Yes. For sure. Anyways, I gotta go. Talk to you later and good luck!_"

The beeping of another ended call met Zelda's ears as she closed her phone. Maybe Ruto was right. She would just go to school tomorrow and everything would be back tomorrow… But hadn't she had similar thoughts last weekend? She shook her head firmly. Even though she had finally met Link, there was still so much that she was clueless about.

Shaking all thoughts of the substitute out of her mind, Zelda opened her phone and dialed Aryll's cell this time. This was the one thing she needed to do in order for her mind to rest peaceably that night.

Zelda took a deep breath and braced herself for the worst. The rings never seemed to end and, an eternity later, the phone was answered by an older crackly, but still warm voice.

"Evening, Pearl," Zelda greeted the elderly Alavryn.

"Oh! Why if it isn't Zelda! No need to be so formal dear. Like I've said before, you can just call me Grandma. Oh, but you probably wanted to talk to Aryll, didn't you, sweetheart?"

"Yes."

"Well, hold on a minute, I'll go find her." There was some shuffling in the background and the sound of little Lily crying in slight complaint as Grandma Alavryn handed the phone to Aryll. When the Hylian teen answered, she didn't sound happy. "_Hello?_"

"Uh… Hey, Aryll… What's up?" Zelda started out nervously, a lump forming in her throat.

"_Hm…"_ she replied grumpily.

Oh, no. She already knew. "Something bad happen today?"

_"Yeah. Sheik randomly showed his stupid Sheikah face today! He hasn't been around for a couple of days and I was beginning to hope that he had finally gotten a life of his own, but noooo! He came around sometime after school, stole our mail and wouldn't leave until Link left for work! He is such a nuisance! And he really needs to learn to cook for himself, because I'm not gonna let him eat off our table forever!"_

Zelda laughed in relief. Apparently Ruto hadn't said anything to her. Zelda took a deep breath in. As Aryll's friend, she had to tell her what had been going on.

Aryll sighed, _"Seriously, Zel. I don't know how this day can get any worse… Anyways, what did you call about?"_

"Uh…" Zelda stalled. Maybe tomorrow, when they were talking face to face, would be a better idea… "Just… wanting to know what's up."

_"Oh. Well, not much besides what I just told you… Hey, what time is it?"_

Zelda glanced at her wristwatch before answering, "About 9:48. Why?"

Aryll sighed again. _"I just thought my watch was off or something… Link hasn't come home yet… Anyways,"_ Aryll said, trying to cover the worry in her voice. _"How did your survive your experience at Romani's today?"_

"It was terrible," Zelda admitted. Just at that moment, her parents called from downstairs, telling her to get off the phone. Zelda had never been so grateful for her parents intervening. "Oh. I gotta go, Aryll. It's pretty late. I'll see you at school tomorrow!"

_"Kay. Night!"_

Zelda hung up her cell and hung her head. "I guess they didn't give me the Triforce of Courage for a reason…" She sighed, "I'll just have to tell her tomorrow and hope she doesn't flip."

Zelda rolled off her bed miserably as she heard her parents call her name for a second time. She tromped to her door, opened it and stepped into the hallway before calling, "What?"

"Can you come here for a moment, dear?" her mother's voice called from the Living Room.

Zelda sighed quickly, but straightened her back and obeyed her mother's wish. As she entered the room, she saw her parents standing by the door that led into the garage and quickly went to meet them. She gave a faint smile to her parents, giving them the impression that everything was perfectly normal, and politely waited for them to speak.

Daltus and Daviane exchanged quick smiles before they turned back to their daughter. Daltus was the first to break the momentary silence. "Zelda, your grades throughout your school career have been wonderful..."

"Your behavior at the many boring meetings we have dragged you to has always been top notch…"

Zelda mentally disagreed, but only stared at her parents, slightly confused. What was the point of this whole pat-Zelda-on-the-back chat?

"And you have proved to us to be very responsible. That is why, your mother and I," they exchanged smiles once again. "Have decided that it's time for you to have the ultimate freedom."

Zelda cocked an eyebrow as her father reached over and opened the garage door, revealing a little four-door, blue car.

Her eyes widened as she stared at it. It looked relatively old, but still fully functional… Or at least she assumed.

"Well… What do you think?" Daviane asked, her fingertips pressing against each other.

So good behavior equals, in their minds: get good grades, be responsible and get random crushes on your substitute teachers? "Uh… I'm not sure I deserve this..." Zelda finally managed.

"Nonsense!" Daltus laughed as he patted Zelda's shoulders. "You've been so responsible lately that your mother and I decided it was high time for you to have your own car!"

"It needs a little fixing up and you'll need to pay for your own gas, but we thought it best that you began to learn adulthood responsibility," Daviane said with a smile.

Zelda forced a painful smile onto her face and pathetically said, "Thanks…"

"Oh, you're welcome, sweety!" Daviane said, pulling her daughter and her husband into a group hug. Her father added, "We're so proud of you."

Zelda said nothing as she was crushed beneath her parents love, words and expectations. After a moment, her parents finally let her go. Zelda smiled and pretended to be happy as she headed back to her bedroom, her heart drooping all the while.

She collapsed onto her bed with a quiet groan and quickly fell asleep.

…

The clock chimed 12:30 through the house as Link slipped in through the front door. He locked it behind him as quietly as he could before turning around to find Aryll, asleep on the couch with a copy of her Ancient Hylian textbook under her drooped head. He exhaled slowly, a concerned smile on his face.

"Up waiting for me again?" he asked his little sister quietly.

She didn't respond.

Link set his suitcase down, as well as the lump of clothing he was going to be wearing to school the next day and approached his sister's side. He slipped his arms beneath her and hefted her gently up from the couch before proceeding towards the stairs. Aryll stirred slightly, but didn't wake as Link climbed the stairs to her room.

"Aryll, you're getting heavier," he grunted slightly as he pushed her door open and lay her down on her bed. He pulled the covers up to her chin and left, closing the door quietly behind him.

He quickly ran downstairs to grab his things before heading back up to his own room. His fingers fumbled across the wall in a feeble attempt to find the light switch. Finally having success, he quickly closed the door behind him and entered his… clean room?

He sighed. Grandma had come and kidnapped his mountain of dirty clothes to the washing machine just a floor below. He glanced at his closet briefly; it was mostly empty except for a few hangers and shirts.

Even the dresser had all its drawers closed for once and there were new clean sheets covering his bed.

The only thing that hadn't changed was his desk, which was still covered in a mountain of papers he needed to grade (Farore had gotten a little behind in her work) and a few other various forms he needed to fill out. He walked towards the desk, throwing his school outfit on his bed in the process and loosening his black necktie. Sitting at the table, he placed his suitcase on the floor and instantly attacked the papers. In about fifteen minutes, he was done and sorting through the paperwork he was going to need to hand out in class the next day. After that, he clicked his suitcase open and placed the papers inside as neatly as possible.

He then turned to the various forms and filled them out as quickly and efficiently as his mind would allow. Stuffing the pieces of paper into their respective envelopes and after setting them aside to be mailed in the morning, Link stretched in relief that the paper portion of his evening was finally done. He glanced at the clock: 1:57. That was an hour earlier than last night. Maybe he could get to sleep…

Just to make sure everything was prepared for the next day, he turned his attention back to the desk and his eyes instantly snagged on a stack of envelopes. Link mentally slapped himself. How could he forget? Sheik had come over that day to specifically remind him about it…

Grabbing the envelopes, he shuffled through them. They were the typical letters he received every month: report cards for Aryll and Colin in school so far, a couple random advertisements for places he had never heard of and bills. Lovely, lovely bills. His personal favorite. There were a few from the hospital, a few payments for various housing costs and another he had never seen before.

He looked down, puzzled, at the red stamp "FORWARD TO" over an address that looked a little familiar… and then his address. Turning the letter over, he noticed the Academy's insignia, a phoenix with the Triforce between its wings, on the back. Curious, he opened the letter and stared at its contents:

_Dear Parent or Guardian of Miss Midna Nightshado,_

_Due to damage caused to school property on the Wednesday of last week, Hyrule Academy politely requests that, as the guardian/supervisor of Miss Midna Nightshado, the repair fees of 8,000 rupees be supplied to fix said damage by the end of this month. If you have any further questions, there is a slip of paper regarding further information._

_ Signed,_

_ Principal Daltus Hykarin_

Link blinked at the piece of paper before the image of the gym wall sank into his head. '8_,000 rupees just to fix a wall?_' Link thought incredulously. He sighed. Well, he had taken Midna in and had become legally responsible for her since she was a Twili, so it was only natural that he would receive this. It couldn't be helped.

Rubbing his head, Link reached into the envelope and pulled out an additional piece of paper. It mostly contained legal information about the letter and instructions of how to make out the payment. As Link looked the paper over, he found fewer and fewer loopholes.

"Stupid anti-Twili society," he grumbled.

He glanced at the clock in exasperation; it read 2:08 AM. He leaned back in his chair, his tired nerves pricking at his fried mind. In an attempt to focus, Link clamped his eyes shut. Well, if the school and _Romani's_ would be willing to pay him soon, then… No… That still wouldn't be enough. Maybe if… If… Peace slowly crept into his mind and things began slowing down after a few minutes. However, somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard a loud beeping noise. Link grumbled as he waved his hand in an attempt to silence it. However, it didn't stop.

He leaned out a little further, only to fall to the ground. His eyes flew open as he crawled towards the noise emanating on his bedside table and smacked a button. His eyes glanced across the bright red numbers on his alarm clock: 6:00. He had fallen asleep _again_? Suddenly awake, Link jumped to his feet and fished the baggy, brown suit from his closet and quickly changed into it.

He glanced at his desk, the letter from the Academy clearly visible. He sighed again, the problem from last night returning to his mind: How was he going to pay for this?

At that moment, Freezia's words from that evening rang through Link's ears as he shuffled through the stack of bills, looking for any more surprises. _"I'll pay you forty silver rupees, but I'll go no higher! Do we have a deal?"_

Link sighed as he brushed his hand through his hair in frustration. "I can't believe I'm actually doing this," he muttered as he picked up his cell and dialed in a number.

It rang a couple times before a voice answered, "_Hello?_"

"Hi, Error, it's Link, I'm sorry for the earliness of the hour, but is your wife there?"

* * *

><p><strong>WhiteXIII:<strong> Yay! I made it through alive!

**MangaMaid:** Barely… Notice how when you get brain blocks, I am writing on something else?

**WhiteXIII:** Not helpful. I mean, really not. But it's okay! 'Cuz I made it! Good job team! Have a cookie!

**MangaMaid: **Team? I thought you were the one writing this. I'm just an editor.

**WhiteXIII:** And co-author! Just eat your cookie!

REVIEW PLEASE!

Notes to Reviewers:

_Jazzmatazz2000:_ Hooray! I'm glad my writing skills don't epically fail. Linkypoo? Hm… I don't think I've ever heard his name with "poo" for a suffix. XP Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of pink. I see Zelda wearing it a lot and I'm like, "Hm… Purple or blue is definitely better." But to each his/her own, I suppose. Well, I hope this last update that you have been waiting/craving/wanting for has been another interesting installation.

_Lavender Parkway:_ Hooray for experimental fluff! I'm glad I turned out okay. This is my first time on FF, so I was pretty worried about it. Did chapter 7 clear up the confusion from chapter 6? Thanks for your review!

_Kablamo: _Hahaha! Error is, indeed, a legend. It's cool to hear that you liked seeing him in here. :) And I'm glad you're loving this times five. Thanks for your review!

_ericcarrtmen 14:_ I'm glad that you like it. :)

_JM_: Thanks! I'm glad that character connections are working out okay and aren't all that confusing. :) Thanks for your review!

**Character Index:**

WHAT? I didn't introduce any new characters? I feel so… empty… *MangaMaid4545 elbows* Oh! Oh! I mentioned _one_!

Sheik: Ocarina of Time (YAY!)

Anyways, happy holidays! (You should click the link below and leave me a present *Hint, hint*) Don't make me sing MangaMaid's song about getting reviews for Christmas! (If you want to know what it is, ask me and I'll send you a PM.)


	9. Chapter 8

**WhiteXIII:** Hi again! I would've come earlier, but I got really sick.

**MangaMaid4545:** It is true.

**WhiteXIII: **I still do not feel well, so I'm going to get to the point. THANKS TO: Jazzmatazz2000, PenelopeMartinez24, Sapphiet, ShadowMario3, HeroofTwilightsgf, 2q, xxtheninjaofsilencexx, Dark bowser, dragoness of storm, GrossGirl18, ericcartmen 14, NekoNekoNe, hkdfan, JayLay-Sweets, Niyra64, nikomoon2, EmoAnarchist49, LZfanatic12, Astra'shadow, shortiix3, FreeHugz767, Legend of the Hero of Time, Dark Linkazoid, and Random asian guy FOR EVERYTHING.

Enjoy Chapter 8!

* * *

><p>Chapter 8<p>

_**Day: Tuesday**_

Menacing and large. Zelda heard it before she could ever see it coming. It stomped closer. The blonde Hylian didn't even have time to turn and face the noise when something grabbed her shoulder.

"Alright. Who did it?"

"Uh… Good morning, Midna," Zelda said hesitantly. She looked down to find the source of the noise: big, black combat boots. The overall combination of the Twili's pale skin, dark blue plaited uniform and the big, burly, combat boots really did give off a strange vibe. But it was still intimidating. "Mid, I thought those were confiscated…"

Midna grinned mischievously. "Hey. What happens in Freshman year, stays in Freshman year and they gave them back, anyways. If they didn't want me to wear them, then they could just say so. Besides, these are my problem pounding boots." Her red eyes turned into slits as the laughter drained slowly from them. "So, who's been giving you a hard time? Is it that guy?" Midna glared at a random guy passing by.

The poor fellow looked at the menacing girl and turned away, scuttling around the corner as quickly as his school uniform would allow him to go.

Zelda had honestly almost forgotten about their conversation last night. "Oh, um…"

"Hey, Zel! Did you figure everything out with-Oh, hi Midna," came Ruto's voice as she came around the corner. She gave a nervous laugh as she suddenly cut herself off at her last sentence. "How are you?"

Midna raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "Fine…"

"Awesome! I gotta go! Ta-ta until Lunch!" Ruto waved a goodbye and quickly disappeared around the next stony bend.

She had it so easy…

Midna's red eyes returned to looking at Zelda. "So… what was Ruto talking about? And why did you tell her and not me?" she asked, putting on her best pretend hurt face.

Zelda bit her lip before spilling her guts out about what had happened at _Romani's_ the day before.

Midna stood in a dead silence as Zelda finished her tale, panting and huffing. The Hylian girl looked up at her friend, concern etching her face as she finished, "Please don't kill him. He didn't do anything, it was all me!"

She was still silent. The look on her face was firm, emotionless. Zelda couldn't help but gulp. Finally, Midna did something that Zelda was not expecting: she laughed.

"Seriously? You got the googly eyes for Link?" Tears of mirth leaked from the corner of her eyes and she quickly wiped them away.

Zelda felt her face turn red. "It's not funny, Midna!"

"Oh, yes it is. When I said that you guys would be a great match, I didn't expect that you'd actually be attracted to that weirdo."

"I am not infatuated!"

"I never said that you were…" Midna said slowly, a teasing glint creeping into her eyes.

Zelda growled. Her head whipped around a few times before she whispered, "He's a teacher, my father's employee and, not to mention, Aryll's big brother!"

"And my legal 'guardian,'" Midna added, making air quotes. "And you don't see me complaining about it. I mean, he needs to start dating and so do you… Did you know that he's never been asked out before?"

"No I don't! And… he hasn't? Seriously?" Zelda's nerves slowed to a confused halt. "Well, yeah he's serious and stuff, but…"

Midna let out another long laugh. "Serious? Are you kidding me? If you think he's serious, then I'm a fairy princess." Zelda looked at Midna's back and the Twili got the message. "I'm not gonnna sprout wings, Zel! But you really think _he's_ serious?"

Zelda nodded and Midna shook her head as she muttering something in Twili under her breath.

Metallic ringing then met their ears. It was time for class. Zelda suddenly became interested in her locker as she shoved her nose into and pretended that she had misplaced something.

"What are you doing?" Midna demanded.

"Uh… Just… admiring my locker…"

"Okay. Well you can look at it some other time. We need to go to class." Midna promptly shut the little metal door and got behind her friend. "Come on, Zelda! You're walking like a turtle!" Midna complained as she shoved her friend towards the next class. "You're going to make us late! And, now that I actually live with the Alavryns, I actually feel obligated to be on time to Link's class."

Zelda took the smallest, shortest steps she could possibly muster while resisting Midna's efforts to get to History, images of yesterday's events circulating through her brain. There was no way she was going back to the point where she was at yesterday! She really didn't need la-la land creeper thoughts about Aryll's brother at school.

"Oh, come on! If you really don't like him, then go to class and prove me wrong!"

Zelda's feet slipped slightly at Midna's proposition. Maybe she was right. Maybe all she had to do was go to class and prove that yesterday's encounter with Link was just a slip of the mind, a random occurrence, and completely unrealistic.

Yeah. That had to be it.

**PERIOD: 1. CLASS: History 101. ROOM: 317. SUBSTITUTE: Link Alavryn.**

Zelda was going to do it. She would just walk right into class, look Link in the eye and everything that had transpired the evening before would all just be a terrible memory of the moment Zelda temporarily lost her mind. There was no way she could fail. The blonde Hylian girl looked up at the wooden door, determination gleaming from her eyes.

"Oh, for Nayru's sake. Come in, Zel!" Midna exclaimed as she walked ahead and yanked her friend inside.

"Good morning… you guys," Aryll said with a raised eyebrow. "What's up?"

Midna shrugged and said, "Neh. Nothing much." She then plopped her stuff down on the desk by Aryll and took her seat.

Zelda took a deep breath and scanned the classroom. It was the moment of truth. She could do it and… he… wasn't here… Confused, Zelda sat at Aryll's other side. '_Maybe he's sick!_' Zelda thought almost hopefully, though she did feel bad wishing such terrible health on her teacher.

"Midna, why are you wearing your boots? I thought they were-"

"They're problem pounding boots, Aryll. I told you that in Freshman year."

Aryll gave her friend a pointed look. "So you're going to beat up another guy this year…?"

"No!" Midna said, turning slightly pink in the face from embarrassment. "Well… maybe… And that jerk was asking for it!"

"Sure," Aryll said in a slow, teasing voice.

Midna grunted in annoyance. A few more students filed through the doors, each hurrying to their seats as the bell rang. Link still wasn't there… Zelda exhaled as she slid into her seat. Maybe she had lucked out after all.

That fantasy, however, was quickly ruined as the door, which had been standing open for an unusually long amount of time, finally swung to a close and a familiar, stern masculine voice greeted Zelda's ears.

"Good morning, everyone."

"Good morning, Mr. Alavryn!" the class chanted back (the boys rather dully and the girls squirming slightly in their chairs as he passed by). Zelda, on the other hand, sunk further into her seat and again attempted for powers over invisibility without success. And as he walked by, Zelda refused to look at him. She just couldn't do it.

"Alright. Before we get started, I've got some papers that Farore assigned a few weeks ago to hand back. In the meantime, please open your textbooks to page 137 and begin reading. Silently," he added, giving a few chatty girls a pointed look. They instantly fell silent and the sounds of rustling fabric and papers could be heard as students reached for their books.

Zelda pulled her copy of _Hyrule: Ancient to Modern History_ and obediently began reading the assigned amount. She could see Midna from the corner of her eye, the said Twili was giving Zelda pointed gestures to the place Zelda suspected Link was standing with her head. Zelda shook her own furiously and mouthed, _I can't._

_Yes, you can!_

_ No._

Midna raised her eyebrows, her eyes seeming to scream, _THEN YOU DEFINITELY HAVE A CRUSH ON HIM!_ She quickly smiled innocently as Link returned her papers and Zelda quickly looked away.

Midna was wrong. Zelda would prove it just… just not at the moment… Papers suddenly appeared in her line of vision. Her head sunk further down, her hair—straight and totally loose from her typical braid—draped across her face as the substitute walked away. She let out a quiet, low breath as soon as the danger had passed.

Just as she had started to relax and get into her book, Link's voice broke through the classroom. Why, oracles, could he not have had more papers to pass out?

"Okay, let's get started. Today we are going to le-"

"Learn about the Oracles?" Kyla, a human girl finished eagerly.

"Didn't we already talk about them during last class?" Demetrius, a Goron boy, asked boredly.

Link nodded. "Alright, then, Demetrius, since you already know what we're learning today, why don't you just tell us the criteria for the day and we can be done early."

Demetrius stared at Link, wide-eyed as the rest of the class turned to him expectantly. "Uh…" he stalled. "Well… They created the Triforce… and Hyrule… and stuff." He finished lamely.

Link nodded. "That's all true, but what can you tell me about them after creating the Triforce?"

The Goron boy shrugged and looked down at his shoes, his face turning red with slight embarrassment.

"Anyone?" Link asked the class. "Everyone? No one? Alright, then. How about we get started with class."

No one objected and Link soon got the class going. Zelda didn't hear much that she didn't already know. The three Oracles were sisters with unsurpassed magic. However, at some unidentified point in history, they had made a pact to not get too involved with the inhabitants of Hyrule and they ascended to their own realm: the Sacred Realm.

Glancing at the clock, Zelda realized that they were only halfway through class and Midna had not stopped giving Zelda prodding looks. At first Zelda had given her panicked looks, which quickly gave way to desperate pleadings of '_please don't make me_,' to the breaking point she was currently at.

Zelda took a deep breath as she finally looked up. Link's hair was slicked back from his eyes, he was standing in his typical brown, baggy suit, with the same square glasses as always and was holding a piece of chalk as he continued his lecture. Zelda's mind went numb momentarily at the fear of what might happen. As if sensing her gaze, Link turned towards her and student and teacher briefly met gazes before he looked away and continued on.

Nothing. No sparks, no humiliating color… Nothing. "I'm cured!"

Suddenly, all eyes were on her and she quickly realized that she had actually said that out loud…

"Uh…" she stuttered. Her eyes glanced down at Aryll, who was giving her a bewildered look. Midna sat in the background, her shoulders shaking as she tried to contain her laughter.

The inevitable question came. And it just _had_ to be from him… "Cured of what, Miss Hykarin?" the substitute asked slowly.

"Er… Ecchymosis?" It was the first thing that had come to her mind, even if she had stated it as a question.

The substitute raised a blond eyebrow as confusion crept into his gaze. "Ecchymosis?"

"Yes…"

"What the heck is Ucchy…icchy… Ickymotitis?" Amira asked, sticking her nose in the air, "Did you just make that up or something?"

"It's Ecchymosis, genius. And, no, it's real," Midna stated as a matter of fact. "Ecchymosis is a deadly disease that first causes your skin to go a sickly discolored shade of blue-purple. And, if it spreads really far, then you'll have to go to the hospital or you could die." Amira and Lila both looked rather pale as they scooted closer in their little group for safety against such a terrible disease. Midna grinned evilly as she half-whispered, "And, the worst part, Amira, it's most infectious to Gerudo… Oh, no. It looks like you guys have the starts of it. It's there, on your skin!"

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Lila, Mala and Amira stood up, looking at their skin and screaming.

"Oh, no! I think I have it!" Lila said, rubbing her arms as if that would remove it.

Amira gasped. "Oh, no! Me too! Look, it's right here!" The two girls screamed again as they both simultaneously headed for the door and yelled, "I gotta go to the nurse!" before they both disappeared from the classroom.

Link still stood at the front of the class as he had not moved the entire time. The whole class began looking their skin over for the discolored spots in near panic. Link shook his head as he waved for the class to be silent. He then fixed Zelda with a confused gaze.

"You cured yourself of… bruising?"

"Uh… Yeah…" Zelda said slowly.

"Bruising?" Mala asked, slowly sitting from her panic dance.

Link nodded. "Ecchymosis is the medical name for a bruise… Yes it causes discoloration of the skin, because it _is_ discoloration. And, if you had bruises all over your body, I guess it could be deadly, since you're bleeding beneath the skin, but… It is not in any way contagious or disease-like."

Zelda stared at him. She was absolutely doomed. If he had so easily seen through that lie… she was about to be in a heap of trouble.

"Wow, Mr. Alavryn, when did you learn that?" asked a Goron girl, her gaze starry among with a few other females. The boys, on the other hand, simply raised a slightly intrigued eyebrow while others just rolled their eyes.

"My brother is in med school. I talked to him yesterday evening and, every now and then, he tells me an interesting medical fact or two." Link said, shrugging his shoulders.

Aryll also shrugged her shoulders, seeming satisfied by the bit of information, before turning to finish copying the notes from the board.

"You have a _brother_?" Kyla squealed, her plaited skirt swishing around her knees as she stood up suddenly.

A few of the girls in the classroom looked at each other in excitement at the prospect. Aryll shook her head in annoyance as she finished the notes and was forced to look up at the giddy girls. Midna was giving a pointed look to Link that clearly said, _I told you so._

Seeing this brief exchange, Zelda opened her mouth to ask her friend what was going on, when Link spoke, "Yes. I actually have two brothers, but they're both older than me."

The human girl who had stood lowered herself quickly back into her chair. And muttered a very put off, "Oh," as she twirled her hair between her manicured fingertips. Many of the other girls also settled down, many with looks of disappointment.

Link, however, looked mildly relieved and shifted slightly as he turned to write on the whiteboard, in an attempt to continue the lesson with at least a half dozen girls staring in a dream-state at his back.

Zelda was proud to say that she was not among that pack of girls.

Regardless of this Link-hungry pack, the lesson continued. "Alright. So, why exactly did Din favor the Gerudo race?" A blue, finned hand hit the air and Link smiled as he asked, "Yes, Takeo?"

"Wasn't it because Din approved of their tough and female dominated culture?" he asked with bits of confidence breaking through.

Ryota added, "And because they survived through the many trials Din handed them?"

Link beamed. "Precisely. The Gerudo women were able to endure Din's challenges, for the most part. That is why the Triforce of Power is typically given to one among their race."

Mala sat erect in her seat and gave superior looks to any who dare look at her.

Aryll raised her hand, her face appearing rather puzzled. Link nodded for her to speak and she asked, "I understand that Din did favor them for a time, but didn't something happen that she didn't really agree with?"

Link nodded. "Yes, the Gerudo, after receiving Din's gift, unbeknownst to them and the Oracle, were burdened by a curse sent by a demon known as Demise. Demise many years before had been destroyed by the first Hero of Hyrule, but with his last breath he cursed the Hero that his hate would never end and return in the form of a person.

"Soon after the Gerudo were given Din's gift of Power, one of them gave birth to male child. This was unprecedented, because never before had the Gerudo had a male child given to them. They believed it was another gift from Din and asked her to come bless the child.

"However, when Din touched the child's head, she felt Demise's vengeful hatred flare in response to her own Sacred Power and instantly ordered the Gerudo to kill it. The Gerudo were outraged. They refused and forced Din to leave their domain.

"When this child grew into a man, he brainwashed his own people and created what we call The Imprisoning War. You all would know this man as-"

"The King of Evil," Zelda muttered quietly.

Again, Link simply nodded in response.

Mala glared at Zelda as her hand shot up as well. However, she didn't wait to be called on. "That may be true, but you can't judge an entire race based on something that happened a long time ago by _one_ member of their race, right, Mr. Alavryn?"

"That is true," Link agreed. Mala gave Zelda a _HA! You're stupid_ look. "But I also believe," Link added as he walked up towards Mala's desk and gave her a warning look, "That every person should be judged according to their own merits and behaviors. Do you agree, Miss Dragmire?"

She grinned nervously as she quickly tore her eyes away from Zelda. "Of course, Mr. Alavryn, sir," she said in her sweetest voice.

Link gave her a slight nod, the warning still in his eyes, and turned back to the board to continue his lesson. However, behind his back, Mala was still glaring daggers at her previous target. Zelda did her best to ignore the Gerudo.

A Kokiri boy raised his hand and asked, "But I thought the Oracles favored the Hylians… didn't they?"

"Well, as I'm sure the legends concerning Hylians, how they were created after the appearance of the Oracles, and how they are supposed to be able to hear them are well known to everyone here, but I can never prove or deny their accuracy. Historians suppose this to be true with all of the ancient pictures that have been discovered and legends like the Hero of Time… But, I can say that I have never heard any whispers in the wind…"

The class laughed and Link straightened from his last position—his hand to his ear. "Alright. How about we finish the day off easy with some notes…" The class groaned as Link turned the projector on. "Would you rather take the quiz now or next time?"

Instantly, the sounds of pens scribbling could be heard as students scrambled to follow Link's first directions.

The substitute grinned and sat down at his desk and picked up two stacks of papers, that looked relatively thick and gave a small nod to Takeo and Ryota before he began grading them.

About fifteen minutes before class ended, Lila and Amira finally slipped back into their seats, their faces pointed down at their desks as they pretended to scribble a few notes. But Zelda could tell they were thoroughly humiliated.

Link, who had just finished grading the first paper, stopped to drop by their desks to pick up Lila and Amira's excuse slips.

Even if Lila, Amira and Mala were jerks… Zelda felt a little bad for them. They way they were embarrassed in front of class, but, in a way, it was their own fault… Zelda shook her head and turned her thoughts back to the notes and ideas of how she would present the truth about what had transpired at _Romani's_ the night previous.

As the bell finally rang and as students were gathering their things and leaving, Midna couldn't help but laugh. "That was great," she muttered. "Best class of the day."

"School's barely even started," Aryll said, smiling at her friend's laughter regardless.

"That may be, but Mala, Amira and Lila's Ecchymosis Dance was pretty, freaking hilarious."

Zelda contained her smile, but just barely. It had been rather amusing, but, as the principal's daughter, she knew she had to set a better example to the rest of the students… Even though people laughed regardless. She was about to open her mouth to make a comment, when Mala entered their conversation, uninvited.

"I don't see what was so funny about it, Nightshado," she sneered, Lila and Amira flanking her sides with similar expressions.

Midna laughed. "You three making idiots of yourselves, that's what. You really need a clarification about that, Dragmire?"

"Well, I knew Ecchymosis wasn't real!" Lila said, sticking her nose in the air.

"It is real, it's just a medical term, not a deadly disease," Zelda corrected quietly.

"Shut your trap, you smart alecky freak!" Mala snapped.

Hurt, Zelda quickly fell silent. Midna, on the other hand…

"Hey, lay off, Mala! Or you're gonna find yourself in a world of hurt!"

"Oh, yeah?" Mala asked, handing her things to her friends and stepping closer to Midna, her head tilted and her face irate. "What are you gonna do about it, Twili?"

"Well, for starters, your face could get better acquainted with my boot," Midna growled as she stepped closer to the infuriating Gerudo.

"Oooh, so scary," Mala shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Come on, guys, don't fight," Zelda said in near panic. Midna was already close to expulsion, she didn't need another fight on her record…

"Stay out of this!" Both Gerudo and Twili snapped without looking at her.

"I don't know, I think on her side for this one," a voice added.

"Nobody asked-Oh, hi Mr. Alavryn!" Mala said, suddenly smiling and stepping back as she straightened out her plaited skirt. "What brings you out here?"

Link raised a blond eyebrow. "Well… You're right in front of my classroom… And the three minute bell rang just a moment ago…"

"Oh, well… I guess we'd better get to class, then…" Mala said, hastily taking her things from her friends and scurrying off.

Aryll mouthed a 'thank you' to her brother, who simply nodded before saying. "Don't the three of you have class, too?"

"Yeah," Midna grumbled as she retrieved her things and started walking down the crowded hallway.

Zelda gave Link a quick, thankful nod. He always seemed to have perfect timing with these kinds of situations… She and Aryll then turned and pushed their way towards their next class.

**PERIOD: 2. CLASS: AP Biology. ROOM: 420. TEACHER: Mr. Shad Studres.**

Mr. Studres' thin-rimmed glasses slipped down his nose approximately eight times during his lecture on the digestive tract. A subject in which, after middle school, Aryll had never wanted to repeat again. Especially not in greater detail. So she instead chose to pay attention to other surrounding variables in which the glasses was only one. Zelda ripping up scratch pieces of paper was the other outstanding factor.

Aryll had learned a long time ago, when she and Zelda had met as kids, that shredding paper was her nervous habit. They had tried for years to cure her of it, and they had succeeded… Somewhat. Now she only pulled out the trash-creating habit under times of great stress or embarrassment.

And Midna had been wearing her 'problem pounding boots' that day. Did she know? If so, then why hadn't Zelda said anything to _her_? They had been best friends since Kindergarten!

So when Shad finally allowed them to work on their diagram in partners, Aryll instantly turned to Zelda and asked, "So what's wrong, Zel? Something bad happen?"

Zelda gulped. How to tell her best friend, who she had known since grade school, that she had eyed her big brother, who Aryll was particularly fond of… How indeed. Zelda took a shaky breath and said, "Well… Kind of…"

Aryll raised an eyebrow in concern. "Kind of?" She grabbed a shredded paper piece and held it in front of her face. "Only kind of?"

Zelda bit her lip as she impatiently pushed the paper bits aside. She had known that she was being too obvious, but she really couldn't help it… "Aryll…" Zelda started. "I… At _Romani's_ the other day, I met your brother…"

After a few moments of silent, Aryll prompted, "And…" Her head was shaking slowly in confusion.

"He was a lot different," Zelda stated, chickening out. It had come out sounding like a question, but it was also a fact.

Aryll still looked confused. "How so?"

"Well… He wasn't so… scary?"

Aryll sighed, looking slightly exasperated. "Scary? He isn't scary, Zel! You just don't know him the way Mid and I do… He… Link's really fun to be around, it's just with all this teaching business and stuff you can't really know that…" Aryll grunted in frustration as she turned to her worksheet and scribbled a few answers.

That didn't come out right… Yeah. Aryll seemed genuinely peeved, but for a completely different reason. The wrong reason. "Uh…" Zelda started, but Aryll cut her off.

"Honestly, he doesn't go around assigning huge papers all the time, I swear! I just-" A light suddenly appeared in Aryll's eye as she turned to Zelda, a smile spreading like wild fire across her face. "You should come over after school!"

"What?" Zelda asked, a knot forming in her stomach in unpleasant surprise.

"Oh, come on, Zel. It won't be that bad. Link is really fun when you get to know him and I just know, if you got to talk to him for a bit, that you guys could be great friends!"

Friends? Zelda's stomach did a summersault at the thought. '_Well… Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea… I mean, if we were friends, then all of this would just wash away, right?_' Zelda's thoughts were in a state of frenzy as she tried to formulate an answer. However, Aryll looked dead set on it.

"Tomorrow, then?" Aryll asked. "I think Link is going to be home for a little bit before he has to go to work." Seeing Zelda's currently pale face, Aryll grinned and said. "Just trust me, Zel. It's gonna be great!"

"But-"

"_Midna Nightshado, to the office. Midna Nightshado, to the office,_" the school's intercom suddenly blared through the school, effectively halting the Hylian girls' conversation. Zelda and Aryll exchanged nervous glances. What was that all about?

In an attempt to comfort her friend, Zelda shrugged and whispered, "They're probably just going to ask her not to wear her boots in school again. It shouldn't be that big of a deal…"

Aryll nodded slowly and the two girls turned back to listen to Shad's lecture. But something in the back of Zelda's mind told her that her words were false. Unfortunately for Midna, Zelda's inner intuition was spot on.

**PERIOD: Lunch. PLACE: Hallway.**

After class, Aryll and Zelda headed out the door—Zelda's overly large stack of books in tow—only to have Zelda walked into by a smirking Mala, causing Zelda's books to fall to the floor. The said Gerudo and her friends didn't seem to take notice as they continued their conversation, leaving Zelda to reclaim her things from the floor.

"What you did to Nightshado… Genius, Mala!" raved Amira.

"Yeah, she's bound to get expelled now," Lila added with a scoffing laugh.

Mala smirked superiorly. "Well, all I did was mention that she was wearing _combat boots_ to the Attendance Office and they took care of the rest… Although… It was pretty good, if I do say so myself…"

The three Gerudo broke out in scornful laughter.

Aryll stomped up to Mala as soon as her eyes snagged on the snooty, red-haired Geurdo female as Zelda attempted desperately to stop her friend in between fallen text books. But all her efforts were in vain, as Aryll blocked off Mala's path.

"You're in my way," Mala said, annoyed as she nearly ran into Aryll.

"That was a low blow, Mala," Aryll snapped in an infuriated tone.

Mala turned toward the blonde Hylian, her nose turned up and her eyebrows raised in the perfect motion of arrogant innocence. "Whatever are you talking about, Aryll? I've done nothing wrong."

"Nothing wrong my foot!" Aryll snarled. "And speaking of feet… You told the office about Midna's boots, didn't you?"

"Well, it is against the dress code, it has been for years," Lila replied as she and Amira came to stand behind Mala.

Zelda tried futilely to pull the infuriated Alavryn away. She really didn't like where this was going. "Come on, Aryll, if you get in a fight, then you'll get in trouble."

"Yeah, Aryll. Why don't you listen to Little Miss Perfect and go hide behind your stupid big brother and your rule-breaking Twili freak!" Mala then broke into a laugh, her friends quickly following suit as they turned and began to walk away.

Aryll groaned, "Fine…" As she turned to leave, she muttered. "But it really is childish, weak, and cowardly to hit your enemies so low!"

Mala's brow shot up, suddenly irate. She grabbed Aryll's shoulder and spun the Hylian girl to face her. "What did you just call me?"

Aryll shrugged, egging Mala on. "Only the truth. You're a coward with the way you faced Midna. The principal's office? Really? I'm surprised that you're wearing big girl pants today… I thought you would've run crying to your uncle, but… even then… My goats still could have come up with something more threatening than him."

Mala's face heated up in anger as she demanded, "Take that back. Or you'll regret it."

"I'm only stating the truth," Aryll said calmly, taking on the air of confidence that Link did whenever he was facing Ganondorf. "You-"

Before Aryll could finish her sentence, Mala suddenly decked the younger Alavryn in the face. Aryll staggered back, holding the place where Mala had hit her.

An older, masculine voice rang out and the group of girls turned to see Mr. Tridu running towards them, his firm Goron legs causing mild tremors in the floor. "No fighting in the halls!" He bellowed as he came up to them. "Miss Dragmire, to the office! Miss Hykarin, please take Miss Alavryn to the nurse."

"But she-" Mala tried to interject.

"Principal's office. NOW!"

Mala growled, but obeyed as she walked away, shooting daggers at Aryll until she disappeared around the corner.

…

Whoever's brilliant idea it was to rebuild the school as a castle, clearly didn't have their head set on straight.

Link shuddered from the cool, drafty air as he set another graded quiz aside. Second period, though it had been 'Ecchymosis disease' free, had been restless and forced Link's hand in giving a pop quiz on last class' criteria. He was currently grading them during what was supposed to be his Lunch Break.

He shivered as another draft found its way through his suit and down his spine. The air around him was beginning to smell heavily of ink from all the grading he had done and the hints of dizziness were beginning to appear as blots in his vision. He rubbed his eyes irritably and was about to continue when the door opened.

"Mr. Alavryn, could I borrow a moment of your time?" came a falsely cordially voice. When Link didn't respond immediately, he added, "It's rather urgent."

Link internally sighed impatiently. Ganondorf. However, Link stood, grateful to be out of his chair. "Come in," he ordered simply. After the red-haired Gerudo made a successful entrance with a dark grin spread across his face, Link simply stated, "You have two minutes, Ganon. What do you want?"

"You assume I want something? Why, how presumptuous, Alavryn. I merely wanted a… friendly chat." He placed emphasis on friendly and raised his thick, red brows in an attempt to look innocent.

Link frowned. "You're only wasting my life and yours. Get to the point."

Ganondorf put his hands up in pretend defense as he muttered agreement. His eyes darkened and another chill passed through the air, but it wasn't the fault of the castle's design. "I tire of your arrogance, boy. Simply tell me what I want to know and I'll leave you and your family in peace."

"Well I tire of your persistence. Back off, Dragmire or you'll regret it."

Ganondorf's eyes narrowed into tiny slits. "I'm afraid Aryll is going to be the only one regretting anything."

Link's eyes narrowed dangerously.

Seeing this reaction, Ganondorf smirked with mild satisfaction. "If you don't tell me what I want to know, then your family will pay the price, Alavryn. It's your choice. Keep your pathetic promise to that despicable imbecile about keeping his precious daughter from harm—yes, I know about that—or protect _your_ family."

"If all you have are more empty threats to make, then your time is up." Link muttered, gesturing to the door.

Ignoring this motion, Ganondorf approached Link's desk and slammed his hands against the wooden surface. "How can I get this through your thick head, Alavryn?"

"If you really want to know something, then just look it up yourself!" Link snapped, his cool composure finally starting to slip.

Ganondorf growled, infuriated. As much as he hated to admit it, Alavryn number one was the only one with the knowledge he needed for his plans. And, as soon as he had this information, he would crush him like the little flea he was. But, for the moment… He needed him alive. His family, though… "You'd better choose wisely," Ganondorf growled.

"You'd better get out."

As the argument had progressed, both teachers had closed in threateningly on the other—Ganondorf looking down through his slits and Link glaring back up.

At that moment, a buzzing sound emanated from Ganondorf's pockets. Eyes still slitted, the gym teacher reached his hand into his short pockets and pulled out a red and silver cell phone. He flipped it open with annoyance and listened to the speaker. Link could hear the tiny voice as he asked, "_Mr. Dragmire? We have your niece Mala down at the Principal's Office. She was caught up in a fight and the principal would like to meet with you as soon as possible._"

Ganondorf grunted and hung up the tiny piece of plastic. He turned and yanked the door open. However, before he left he turned over his shoulder and muttered, "You'll regret this, Alavryn."

He growled as he stormed down the Academy hallway, his fists clenching and unclenching as he turned the first corner to the Principal's office. Alavryn was going to budge… At least, not without a little incentive…

…

Ganondorf emerged from the principal's office, the corners of his mouth were pulled down in an unnerving gesture of displeasure and his eyes seemed to darken a shade to students who walked past, with Mala following in tow. The latterly mentioned Gerudo kept her head low and tried to avoid eye contact with her uncle.

They walked past the Lunch room, which was always busy with chatter, in complete silence as the duo slowly made their way to Ganondorf's office in the Gym just a few corridors away.

By the time they finally reached their destination, Mala's eyes were brimming with silent tears.

"I'm not angry, not with you, Mala," Ganondorf finally said, breaking the silence.

Mala finally chanced a glance at his face, his eyes were still cold, but she quickly realized that it was not directed towards her. Not even remotely. She smiled as she saw her opening for redemption. "It was that stupid Aryll Alavryn's fault," she snarled.

Ganondorf nodded slowly. "Yes, she and that _despicable _Twili have been a thorn for much too long…" Slowly, a grin spread itself across Ganondorf's harsh, pointed features and he said. "But don't you worry, Mala. Soon enough, you won't have to worry about Miss Alavryn or the Twili…"

A similar smile appeared on the female Gerudo's face. "You've got something in mind?"

Ganondorf chuckled quietly. "Only something that will get Nightshado expelled _and_ fulfill your revenge on the mini Alavryn and all before the end of the day…"

Mala grinned, her features darkening slightly to the likeness of her favorite uncle as she muttered, "Well, what are we waiting for?"

"Patience, niece. You have to wait and I'll provide the rest… All we need now is the right moment."

* * *

><p><strong>MangaMaid: <strong>Oh! OH! I have something to say! SHEIK IS COMING SOON!

**WhiteXIII:** Uh... I'm sorry, but he's not coming until... *Counts on fingers* chapter... 10?

**MangaMaid:** I don't know.

**WhiteXIII:** Be patient, please! All things come in due time... ANYWAYS! I hope that didn't randomly speed up or anything... I'm impatient and want to get the plot going. XP

REVIEW, PLEASE!

_Jazzmatazz2000_: Haha. Okay, thanks for sparing me. :) Is that "job" thing still bugging you? Haha! I love those "insert thing here" things. They're great. You do make me laugh. So much. XD HAHAHA! A guy with a unibrow? Awesome! You just made my whole weekend. XP

_xxtheninjaofsilencexx_: Yeah, I like the grandma too and Freezia is probably the last person I'd want to meet in a dark alleyway… or on the street. I would never get away with my ears intact. :) But, yeah, she is supposed to be kinda like that. Anyways, thanks for your review!

**Character Index:**

Demise: Skyward Sword

Din: Oracle of Seasons


	10. Chapter 9

**WhiteXIII:** We're back and ready to rumble!

**MangaMaid4545:** You're ready? I thought you were still sick...

**WhiteXIII:** ... Besides the point. We passed the 100 review mark, how could I have the nerve to not write? THANKS TO: MangaMaid4545, HeroofTwilightsgf, LEva114, GrossGirl18, Senna-X3, Katia0203, Lady Aduka, Jazzmatazz2000, ShadowMario3, surfergirl3537, Sapphiet, Kayna, Katie, Mr. Hq2q, LaurenFitz, Romani-chan, ericcarrtmen 14, Random asian guy, Lost In Dreams19, huslman777, Tabbycat270, dragoness of storm, Love's Abyss, , Ceberuswolf, fan1, dragonlady111111, SgtPeppersLHCB, HenryTheWise, AyuTsukasa, AshlynnvsCarebear, Titan83, The Supreme, nikomoon2, TheWalkingMan, whosahassa, Cerberuswolf, and Aressia FOR EVERYTHING!

Whoo. Man, this thing has gotten longer... *Turns to MangaMaid* I blame you.

**MangaMaid:** What did I do?

**XIII: **You threatened them. :D Besides, you're an amazing co-authoress. Thanks for sticking by me even though I never stop talking about LoZ.

**MangaMaid:** *Stare* ...

**XIII:** MangaMaid? Uh-oh... I think I broke her... Eep! Anyways, read on while I try to fix her!

ENJOY!

* * *

><p>Chapter 9<p>

_**Day: Tuesday… Still…**_

**PERIOD: Lunch. PLACE: Outside.**

As Zelda and Aryll approached their typical eating area, about ten minutes later than usual, Ruto was rambling infectiously about her typical gossip: boys, the latest fashions, boys and- "Oh, my gosh! Aryll, what happened?"

Aryll looked up abruptly from where she had just sat. "Huh?" she asked, her mind still trying to catch up with the sudden change of tone in the Zora's voice.

"Don't what us," Nabooru snapped as she came closer to her friend. "What is that big, nasty bruise doing on your face? Who hit you?" Needless to say, this female Gerudo was fuming.

"Do you need to go see Impa?" Saria asked with a quiet voice.

"Do you need some Cover-Up for that?" Ruto asked, pulling out her make-up case.

Nabooru raised a thin eyebrow at her friend, who looked back at her, confused.

"What? She needs it, Nabs! I mean, seriously, look at her face! She's gonna attract attention from boys, and not right kind of attention, mind you! They'll think she's a punk! Or… or… a thug!"

Nabooru placed her arm on the table and rested her head in her hand with an amused expression. "And what's wrong with the punk look?"

"Well, Nabs, for you and Midna, it works! I mean, it's your appeal! You're a Gerudo , and she's a Twili! You represent the dangerous, edgy side of women that guys don't see all that often!" Ruto gestured to Saria. "Saria, here, represents the sweet, warm-hearted bookworm; Ilia and Malon are the country gals, and Zelda is the high, classy type!"

Zelda frowned. The high… classy type? That wasn't who she wanted to be! Sure, she had been to a few social events, but she wasn't like those other snobbish girls there… Was she?

Laughing, Nabooru said, "Haha! I think you made a mistake with Zelda, she's more of the girl-next-door! You know, the one who meets all expectations and is nice to everyone?"

Zelda sunk low into her chair. The girl-next-door? That one was even worse. She leaned over to Aryll. "I'm not really like that, am I?"

Aryll opened her mouth to answer, but Ilia spoke up, cutting her off. "Well, what's Aryll's type?"

"Aryll? Aryll… is the _tomboy_…" Ruto shuddered.

"And what's wrong with-?" Nabooru began to ask.

"Well, like I said, it works with you and Midna, but Aryll… No way, darling. It just… doesn't help her situation! And she's already got three older brothers to make things worse! I mean, how is she ever going to get a boyfriend? Now, back to the point. She needs cover-up, Nabs, and _stat_!"

"Uh…Ruto," Zelda muttered miserably. "You're a Zora."

"So?" Ruto asked as she pulled out her silver make-up case again.

"Your skin is blue," Nabooru said dryly.

Ruto opened her mouth to protest, but closed it after a moment and put down the small, silver case without another word, frowning as she did so. Looking at Saria, she asked, "Saria, do you have any?"

Saria looked up from the book she had been reading the whole time. "I don't wear make-up, Ruto… Sorry."

Ruto turned her sights on Malon, who shrugged regretfully as she said, "Sorry. I only wear mascara…"

"Ilia?"

"I forgot it at home…" Ilia said sorrowfully.

"Zel…?" Ruto asked doubtfully.

"I only wear make-up when I have to."

She turned to Nabooru, unleashing her best puppy-dog eyes. "Naboo? You have some, don't you?"

"Too tan for her, Ru…"

Ruto suddenly gasped as she shoved her finger to her lips and made a shushing noise. "He might hear you!"

Ilia cocked an eyebrow. "Who?"

Nabooru gave a wicked grin. "Her blind date that Lulu set her up with this weekend. Turns out they really hit it off. Best part is: his family moved here last week and now he goes to our school. He's in a few of my classes, but…"

"He's in your class?" Ruto suddenly shrieked.

Nabooru shrugged and looked at her nails, appearing disinterested. "You said his name was… Zoranor, right? New transfer student?"

Ruto gave a small 'eep' in response. "Did you mention me?" she whispered as she looked around for the Zoran male.

"No… We've never really talked before. I don't think his Hylian is very good. It's heavily accented by Zoran and it's hard to understand sometimes…"

"It is not! And, besides, he is the nicest, sweetest, most attractive specimen of a man to ever swim the face of Hyrule! I mean… His eyes…" she gave a deep sigh. "Oh, I could just swim in them…" She then began babbling dreamily in Zoran.

"Uh… Ruto?" Ilia started slowly, poking her Zoran friend. "Ruto…"

"What?" Ruto asked, snapping back to reality.

"Um…" She then pointed behind her.

Ruto turned slowly, confused, before gasping and spluttering, "Oh… Hi, Zoranor." She laughed nervously. "How are you?"

The Zoran male was predominately a deep blue shade that tiger striped on his upper arm and then seemed to lighten as it got to his stomach, however this characteristic could not be distinguished beneath his new black uniform.

He gave a small smile as he said, his voice heavily accented by his original language, "Okay… Would it be… alright… if I… sat with… you and your friends?"

"Yeah!" Ruto said, instantly brightening up and shoving her make-up kit into her bag. "Is that okay with you guys?"

Nabooru smiled mischievously as she scooted away from her best friend to make room. "Of course."

Zelda and the rest of the gang just smiled as they shifted around the table so he could sit with Ruto.

He gave a small grateful smile as he sat down and allowed for the conversation to continue where it had been. Ruto on the other hand, was more interested in discussing matters with him at the moment.

"So how has your first day been here at Hyrule Academy?"

"Alright," he answered quietly. He quickly took a bite and Ruto began blubbering in Zoran. He smiled and spoke back fluently.

Nabooru rolled her eyes at Ruto's goofy grin. "And now that Ruto is occupied…" Nabooru said turning back to Aryll. "What exactly happened to you?"

"Oh, this?" Aryll asked, putting her fingers up to gingerly touch her bruise. "Oh, it's… I just egged Mala on in the hallway and she decked me. That's all."

Stunned silence.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…" Nabooru began, shaking the surprise from her eyes. "You're telling me that you, Aryll, pacifist number three in our group-"

"Whoever said I was pacifist? I'm just smart in who I pick my fights with."

"Got Mala to hit you?" Nabooru finished, ignoring Aryll's interrupting statement. When the Hylian girl nodded in response, the Gerudo gave a very Midna-like grin and nodded approvingly. "Way to go, chica."

"Why did you pick a fight?" Saria asked quietly. "Didn't you get in trouble?"

"Seriously, don't you want any Cover-Up for that?" Ruto asked in exasperation as she suddenly snapped back to attention as Zoranor took another bite of his sashimi.

Aryll shrugged as she answered Saria, "Mala was asking for it and, no, I didn't get in trouble because she was the one that hit me."

Nabooru cocked an eyebrow as she asked, "What exactly did she do?"

Malon paused as she looked around slowly. "Wait… Where's… Midna?"

Anger flashed through Aryll's eyes as she opened her mouth to speak. And, as Aryll told them what had transpired over the course of one mere morning, the phone rang in Link's classroom with one simple sentence: "_Mr. Alavryn, we have had Midna Nightshado down at the office since second period and, oh, the principal wants to see you._"

**…**

Link walked through the typical lunch-time-crazed corridors, his nerves still prickling in agitation from Ganondorf's last visit. And, not two minutes later, he was called down to the Principal's office as well. He shook his head as he turned around the final corner; he could see the sign for the principal's office in large print just up ahead.

He sighed quietly as he entered. There were chairs lined alongside the large window just beside the entryway from which he had just pushed open. He gave a small smile to the receptionist, who was looking rather frazzled.

She looked up at him and a wave of relief washed over her haggard expression. "Mr. Alavryn, thank the Oracles!" She got up from her chair and guided him towards Principal Hykarin's office door. "Please wrap this up. Miss Nightshado has been here since the beginning of second period, I don't think Mr. Hykarin is very pleased and… Please… just get her out of the office… Okay? Okay." She walked back to her office to continue her disorganized shuffling.

The Hylian woman seemed tightly wound and orderly, but in reality, she was just as disorganized as Link was. Dare he ever admit it… The cause for her distress was simple: Midna's rough presence was wearing on her. Or, at least that was his prognosis.

Link shook his head as he knocked lightly on the semi-opaque glass and entered a few moments later after a rather agitated, "Enter."

This was going to go well…

**PERIOD: 3. CLASS: Ancient Runes. ROOM: 113. TEACHER: Mr. Rauru. **

Things were going well for Zelda. Finally. Although the majority of the class let out a long, low moan of complaint at the announcement: It was pop quiz time. She returned her things to the navy and gold colored school insignia bag before waiting for the papers to reach her row.

As soon as she got it, she quickly signed her name and smiled as she looked at the first question. It was all just too easy. There was only a total of twenty questions and Zelda was already half way done within the minute.

The last couple questions dealed with the latter words of the language that she had practiced at _Romani's _the night previous. As she stroked the last few answers onto the page, an image flashed across her head: blond, blue-eyed…

Her pencil almost snapped as recognition crossed her previously serene features. She quickly turned the paper upside-down and pushed it to the corner of her desk for the teacher to come and take before burying her head in her hands.

No… It couldn't be. She had been cured just that morning! She felt her heart give another tug as she recalled the image once again. The way he had smiled… Her face flushed red and she allowed herself to sink slightly. What was going on?

She groaned as she began to give her mind a firm lecture. '_He's a _teacher_, Zel, get over it! He works for your dad and is your best friends' brother/guardian! What's so great about him anyways?_'

Zelda glanced at her hand. It wasn't burning with information like it had been the night previous. She groaned, "Stupid puzzles…"

**…**

Midna was leaned against the back of the chair in which she was sitting, arms crossed, a neutral expression on her face and combat boots bobbing up and down. In a one word description, she looked bored.

Principal Hykarin on the other hand… "Ah, Mr. Alavryn," he said curtly as he nodded to the seat beside Midna. Yep. There was no doubt in Link's mind. He was angry.

Link sat obediently and calmly asked, "What seems to be the problem, Principal?"

Zelda's father frowned as he turned to Midna and said, "Miss Nightshado is aware that this is her secondary dress code violation in the time that she has been here. Her… footwear," he said this with particular contempt, "Is a violation that she came across back in her first term of her Freshman year. Now, she knows the rules concerning second offenses. They are not to be tolerated and she can be expelled for second offense and for threatening other students with her choice of shoes."

"Which is what caused the violation in Freshman year?" Link guessed. Getting expelled over a simple dress code violation was simply ridiculous, even for a school as prestigious as Hyrule Academy. But still… If Midna had known…

Principal Hykarin gave a firm nod.

"Midna, what were you thinking?" Link asked in mild exasperation as he turned to the Twili.

"These are my problem pounding boots. Zelda had a problem and I was gonna deal with it." She retained her same position, except for the fact that she would only face Link as she spoke.

Principal Hykarin's brow furrowed in concern. "There's something wrong with Zelda?" he asked, his voice faltering in its booming confidence.

Link cocked an inquiring brow.

Midna kept her gaze on her guardian. "Not anymore," she grumbled.

"What happened?" Link asked.

"It's a boy problem," Midna said simply. When Link and the principal opened their mouths to press further, the Twili simply said, "It's a girl thing. And, besides, it's all taken care of and, no, I didn't do anything. And, yes, I was going to change my shoes, but I forgot them at home and before I could ask or find a different pair, I got called here."

Daltus straightened himself as he enquired, "Well, why didn't you just say that an hour ago?"

"You wouldn't have believed me…" Midna muttered as she finally turned to the principal and raised her eyebrows.

Principal Hykarin opened his mouth, but was quickly cut off by Link's voice. "So you were only wearing your boots to protect your friends and not to cause trouble… right, Midna?"

She nodded, slightly exasperated as she muttered, "That's what I've been getting at for the last hour and a half."

Luckily, Mr. Hykarin didn't hear her and Link continued with a shrug and a fully calmed expression. "Alright. I believe you, Midna. What would you like to do, sir?" He turned to the principal, who had his hands folded firmly on top of his mahogany desk.

He paused for a moment, the corners of his mouth pulled down unpleasantly. He glanced between Link's calm face and Midna's before sighing. "Very well. Just get a change of shoes."

"So I'm not in trouble?" Midna asked hopefully.

"Thank you, sir," Link quickly intervened before his boss changed his mind. "Alright, Midna. Let's get you back to class." He then opened the door for her and directed her out. He gave the principal a final nod before closing the door and walking Midna down to his classroom.

They were about halfway there when Link stopped abruptly and turned to face his Twili charge. "So… There was something wrong with Miss Hykarin?"

"Girl thing" she reminded him dully. He quickly shut his mouth, nodded and proceeded onward. Midna started following again as she laughed, "Man, Aryll's got you well trained, huh?"

Link shrugged. "If it becomes serious, then I'll hear about it eventually."

Midna grinned. "Good boy."

Link was silent, a little too silent… Midna bit her lip and glanced at the wall. Great. She had gone and made the un-anger-able angered.

They turned another corner.

'_Why, O cruel Oracles, did they have to build his classroom all the way at the other end of the school?_' Midna glared at the ceiling before taking a deep breath and putting on her typical grin. "Hey, it's only strike two…" She held up two fingers, cringing slightly in her attempt to act innocent.

"More like strike two and a half…" Link muttered quietly.

"Yeah, but, in Math, you could round that down," the Twili said hopefully.

Link shook his head. "You round up with a .5 in math, Midna. So, technically, it should be three. And, bang, you're expelled."

"Well, I suck at math, so we're gonna round down. Sound good?" She grinned and held up two thumbs.

Link stopped and turned to give her a frustrated look. Oh, Oracles, something was eating him and Midna wasn't sure what else it could be besides her… "Either way, Mid, you're way too close to expulsion. Can you just… please avoid getting into trouble?"

"But-"

"I realize you were looking after Miss Hykarin while you did so, but… if you knew it was against the schools' policy, then why didn't you just tell somebody or… Do something that you haven't done yet? If you didn't know, then you couldn't get a second offense and-"

Midna raised an eyebrow, slightly amused. "You are encouraging me to break rules?"

Link quickly looked away and muttered, "I never said that. But that's beside the point, Midna!"

"I thought something was seriously wrong with Zelda and I was prepared to pound whatever it might have been into the ground. Besides, I didn't wind up doing anything wrong. It was just a dress code violation. And they're just shoes! It's not that bad! They can't expel me just because my Hylian isn't that good and I can't remember the handbook because of it."

Link sighed and waved his hands to quell Midna's oncoming wrath. "Look… I just don't want you to get expelled. Even if you don't show it, I know coming here means a lot to you."

"But my friends mean more. I'm sure you understand that, Link."

It was silent for a few moments before Link nodded in understanding. He then grinned. "It was a pretty good move not to say anything until I got there, though."

Midna grinned in response. "I know, right?"

"Well, I'm gonna run home at grab your shoes, okay? Though I really don't see the point… It's almost the end of the day and you have Gym next, right?"

Midna nodded before grinning sheepishly. "Yeah, but… in my concern over Zelda… I forgot my Gym shoes at home, too…"

Link chuckled quietly as he shook his head. "Of course you did. Well, Rauru is covering my class for me, so I'll go grab them."

"Thanks, Link."

"No problem," the sub said with a grin. "Now can you at least stay out of trouble for the rest of the day? Because, no matter how bad your math is, you can't round down from a perfect three."

"Deal," Midna said, sticking her hand out. Link shook his head, laughing as he took her hand and shook it firmly.

"Good. Now get to class." With that, Link turned and headed towards his car while Midna headed to the last five minutes of her third period class.

However, a pair of golden eyes gleamed from the shadows nearby. A wicked grin spreading across his dark, grim features, Ganondorf muttered, "Why how perfect…" and then disappeared with none the wiser to his presence.

**PERIOD: 4. ROOM/CLASS: Gym. TEACHER: Mr. Dragmire.**

The bell rang, and Mr. Dragmire still hadn't arrived.

"Maybe he's gone today," Midna said doubtfully, but several girls looked on hopefully.

However, their hopes were swiftly dashed as Ganondorf entered the gym a few minutes later and Aryll muttered, "Midna, maybe you shouldn't be the one to say that. Because every time you do, they're always here…"

Midna grinned sheepishly.

Ganondorf opened his mouth to begin class. However, as he passed by Midna, Aryll and Zelda, he took a moment to stare down quizzically at Midna's combat boots. He raised an inquiring brow, but only shook his head in annoyance and announced, "Okay class, today we're doing softball outside since the wall hasn't been fixed yet…"

"But it's cold out there!" Amira whined. However, she was quickly silenced by a scathing look from everybody's least favorite gym teacher. Or… almost everybody's least favorite.

He ignored her. "The gear's already outside, so get moving!"

"Alright team, let's kick some butt!" Mala shouted as she led away her typical team. The remainders all slumped as they headed miserably out. "We're dead," one girl muttered in silent complaint as soon as Ganondorf was out of earshot.

"No we're not!" Midna said, her combat boots pounding against the grass as they headed out into the wide, grassy expanse behind the castle-like school. "We've got Aryll on our team and she's got a wicked arm! Besides," her eyes glinted, "I'm not in the mood for losin' to those guys again."

A few girls nodded in agreement. The girl who had spoken shrugged after a moment and muttered, "Yeah. Okay. It's worth a shot."

Midna grinned, her eyes glinting in the sunlight.

The class headed out to the baseball diamonds where, sure enough, boxes of equipment were waiting for them. None took hesitation as each person grabbed their equipment and headed to their places: Aryll's to the dugouts to go out for bat and Mala's to the outer fields.

The three friends were hanging the back of the line and, as Aryll reached her hand out for a glove, she instead found Mala groping for one as well. Both girls glanced inside. It was empty.

"Hm… We seem to be short on a couple gloves…" He paused for a few moments. "Mala, Alavryn," Dragmire grunted. "Go get your equipment and meet us out on the fields."

"But-" Mala started.

"Go," Ganondorf said irritably, his eyes brimming with impatience.

Mala grunted in annoyance before turning and heading back towards the school.

Zelda ran up to her friend and handed her the glove she had taken. "I said Alavryn, not Hykarin." Ganondorf said as he caught the notion from the corner of his eye. "You're pitcher today, Hykarin. So go get on the mound."

Zelda gave her friend an apologetic, worried look, but Aryll only smiled comfortingly. "I'll be back to take your spot in a minute, okay, Zel?"

Zelda gave an uncertain nod as Aryll turned to follow Mala sulkily back to the hole-y gymnasium. Zelda wasn't sure why, but, even as she exchanged glances with Midna, who only shrugged in response and gave her the notion that they were going to slaughter the other team, Zelda couldn't help but feel that something was amiss.

**…**

Aryll and Mala spent five minutes digging around the Gym, but they couldn't find any more mitts, or much of anything else for that matter. Aryll sighed in frustration and set her gaze on the double doors that stood off to the side. She pulled on their handles, only to find them locked.

"Any chance that there's another equipment closet around here that we can actually get into?" Aryll asked.

Mala sounded bored as she answered, "There might be some in the locker rooms."

"Okay…" Aryll muttered as she headed towards the locker room with Mala following lazily in tow. In no time they were in the locker room and rummaging around. However, Mala didn't appear at Aryll's side to help. Slightly exasperated, she turned only to find the Gerudo MIA. "Mala?" Aryll asked in slight irritation.

She heard a clicking noise and Mala finally came into view.

Aryll had a terrible feeling enter into her gut. "Mala…" she started slowly, "What are you doing?"

The Gerudo female grinned as she simply said, "Getting my revenge."

Before Aryll could fully process the information, Mala had thrown a ball of fire magic at her. Acting completely on instincts, Aryll threw a rather frail protective spell in front of her. The fire split from the shield and seared past, catching Aryll's left calf in the process.

She winced in pain and dodged as soon as Mala had relented on her flames. Aryll dodged around a set of lockers as Mala threw another ball of magic at her. It streamed past the Hylian and smashed explosively through the window where a female teacher would have her office. Aryll wasn't certain why the principal had chosen a madman to run his gym classes and why they didn't have a female teacher as another option, but there were more pressing matters at the present moment. The main being not getting blasted.

"Come out and fight, Alavryn!" Mala screamed in frustration. "You can't run forever, you coward!"

"Coward?" Aryll asked in outrage. "You're the one that locked us in the girls' locker room and is throwing exploding magic at my head!"

"And you deserve it, you filthy Hylian! You got me sent to the principal's office!" She rounded the corner and Aryll had to jump back to avoid getting hit.

"You sent yourself there!" Aryll yelled as she ran down the corridor that led to the gym door.

Mala was around the next corner in no time and Aryll found herself trapped. She eyed the door, but with her leg throbbing the way it was, there was no way she'd get out of it in one piece. And the likelihood that somebody would come to her aid was unlikely as everybody was in class. She was doomed.

"Nowhere to run, Alavryn," Mala sneered. And she began to summon up a massive amount of fire energy.

**…**

Link jogged back up to the school, Midna's simple black sneakers held tightly in his grasp. He pushed into one of the many front doors to the school and glanced at the clock. Fourth period had already started, and a while back at that. He sighed as he began a hurried walk towards the girls' locker room. Hopefully Midna would just be waiting nearby for him…

**…**

"Go change your footwear, Nightshado," Midna grumbled mockingly as she pushed her way through the gym's double doors and finally entered the giant building. "Well, if you didn't like 'em in the first place, bud, you coulda just said so instead of pretending like you didn't notice." Midna frowned in annoyance as she crossed the gymnasium floor, which had been cleaned and polished.

She looked up and glanced briefly at the hole in the wall. Black was splaying out from its center, being the immovable remnants of Midna's magic against Ganondorf. She grinned. A little piece of her was there, though it was likely to be fixed soon. And that jerk of an apartment manager had probably been slapped with the fine. Ha! He deserved it. She frowned as she figured they would've fixed it by them, but quickly shrugged as she returned to more pressing matters: getting her shoes.

She pushed the single door open to the empty hallway and headed down towards the girl's locker rooms. Her frown deepened as sudden realization hit her: Aryll had been gone for an awfully long time… Honestly, how long did it take to find a couple of softball mitts? And weren't they just in the locker rooms somewhere? She shook her head as she finally reached her destination.

Her eyes narrowed as she heard noises emanating from the other side. "What the-?" she started. She stretched her hand out to the half circle handle, but something suddenly grabbed hold of her shoulder.

As soon as she turned, she saw Link, and he was absolutely furious. Before she could speak, he shoved her sneakers into her hands and demanded, "Midna, go get Impa."

"But-"

"_NOW!_" Impatience was screaming from his voice. Midna gave a silent 'okay!' as she ran to find the nurse. As Midna was running away, she heard the door open briefly behind her and Link yelling as he ran into the locker rooms.

**…**

Aryll closed her eyes, clinging to her injured leg as Mala flung her magic from between her fingertips. She just wanted this nightmare to end. If she fought back, then she could get Link in trouble and… she could get expelled, but if she didn't… Her lips began forming the words to a defensive spell and she heard them being yelled, but not in her voice.

She opened her eyes in time to see a clear, green-tinted magic shield appear before her as well as a very, very angry man.

"Link?" she asked, relief flooding over her.

However, the said substitute brother was a little preoccupied at the moment. "Mala Dragmire, what in Farore's name do you think you're doing?" In all honesty, Link was torn between his role as a teacher as his brotherly instincts that told him to just skip the formalities and rip Mala to shreds.

Mala gave out a scream of frustration as her spell shattered over Link's shield. "Not you too! Urgh! All you Alavryns, you filthy Hylians! You ruin _everything_!" She threw another ball of fire at Link.

The substitute grunted. He didn't have time to create another shield like before. Defensive magic wasn't exactly his forte… Instead, Link brought his arm up in pitiful defense and prayed to Din that she would allow him at least minor control over fire, his worst element.

It burned, even through his thick gloves; Link could feel the searing heat. He deflected the magic easily and the elemental magic smashed into the stone walls uselessly. Alright, brother mode was winning.

He charged forward, not bothering to use the energy it would take to conjure a shield. Mala sent another blast of fire magic. Acting on instincts, Link brought his arm in front of him and then pushed it forward through the flames. A blast of wind followed Link's arm and sent the flames spiraling into the stone walls.

Mala backed up as Link approached and let loose another fire ball. Link brought his arm up again and the wind shattered the wall of flames and sent it flying skyward, clear up to the ceiling.

Alarms began blaring as water poured down from fire sprinklers. But that didn't deter the Gerudo female: she let off another and another.

"Knock it off!" Link yelled in frustration as he landed in front of her and grabbed her wrist.

Mala chose to retort with a few choice words in Gerudo before forming her other hand into a fist and securing it in Link's stomach.

Link's eyes widened, but he didn't make a sound. He growled in anger as he twisted Mala around so her back was to him. Quickly, she aimed a kick up. Link dodged the first blow, and then caught the second as it headed for his gut.

Without hesitation, Link dropped to one knee and swept Mala's other leg from beneath her feet. Mala crumpled to the ground and Link quickly brought her hands up behind her head.

Though she was being restrained, Mala continued to let off her slew of words as she struggled vainly against Link's iron grip. She screamed in frustration, her hands curling and uncurling into fists uselessly. Red began to dance around her fingertips.

The words to a curse were beginning to form on her lips when Link muttered a quick spell and forced some of his magic into the smaller woman's body, forcing it back into a simple core and sealing it shut.

The words stopped with the magic and Mala suddenly went limp. Link released her slowly, his limps shaking slightly at the amount of magic he had extended. Regardless, he rose shakily to his feet and ran to his sister's side. "Ryll, how bad is it?"

"I'm okay," Aryll muttered as she attempted to brush her brother away. "Really… I-" She inhaled sharply as she stood about halfway up. She fell forward, only to be caught in her brother's embrace.

He smiled weakly as he smirked, "I don't think so, little sis." His blond hair was scraggly and hung, now dirty, around his soot-streaked face as he hefted his sister into his arms, much as he had done just the night previous, and headed out into the hallway where Impa and Midna were rushing towards them.

**…**

Class was finally coming to an end, Zelda's team had gotten creamed again, no surprise there… And Midna, Aryll and Mala hadn't returned yet. Zelda's brow furrowed with concern as her class filed through the gym and into the hallways to get to the locker rooms. But, for whatever reason, everybody had stopped and a clamor had hit the air was impeccable force.

The bad feeling from before hit the pit of Zelda's stomach once more. She gulped and began pushing her way through the crowd of students. The work was slow in going, but she eventually reached the front, her eyes widened in shock.

Why was Link carrying Aryll? Why was Impa there? And why exactly was Mala unconscious…?

Zelda began to walk forward, but Dragmire began yelling for everyone to go get changed. He came up behind the Hylian girl and muttered, "You too, Hykarin."

He didn't sound happy.

Zelda cringed slightly at his voice, hesitated and slowly began walking towards the locker rooms.

She glanced over her shoulder at her injured friend in time to see Link glaring darkly at something nearby her. Zelda stopped at the locker entrance a few feet away just in time to catch Ganondorf's frown.

He was upset about something.

Ganondorf shrugged at Link as he said, "Tough luck about your sister, Alavryn. I guess I'll have to talk to Mala about this…"

Link only glared in a seething response.

She bit her lip in curiosity and concern. What exactly had happened between those two anyways? Zelda shook her head and instantly ran to the locker room to grab their things as well as changing out of her gym uniform. A few minutes later (after the bell had rung), she arrived at the nurse's wing.

Aryll was sitting on the padded examination table as Impa tended to her wounds. Midna was standing off to the side in agitated silence and Link was leaned against the wall in the corner, a pensive expression darkening his sapphire gaze.

"Hm… Doesn't look like I have quite enough ointment for this… I'll be back momentarily." Impa gave a small smile as she headed into the huge medicine closet (it was its own room).

"Argh! I should've known something was up when he didn't try busting my guts over my boots at the beginning of class!" Midna said, throwing her arms into the air as soon as Impa had left the room.

"It's okay, Midna." Aryll consoled. "I should've seen it coming too with the way I egged Mala on this morning…"

Zelda summed up, "And none of us really saw it coming." The trio sat in silence for a few moments: Midna was glaring down the wall, Aryll was studying her lap.

Just then, Impa re-entered, breaking the gloomy silence. "Alright. More burn ointment. Honestly, hon, too many more visits like this and I'll be all out in no time."

"Sorry, Impa." Aryll cringed slightly as Impa began doing her work.

"And, honestly, Link, haven't you ever taught your sister how to stay out of trouble?" She sounded exasperated.

"But what fun would that be?" Midna asked with a small laugh. "Normal days are boring… But, I guess, after he came… You just can't have a normal day here, can you?" Midna laughed.

The Hylian substitute finally cracked a smile, but it was Impa who spoke next. "No, he really can't." She sounded rather agitated. "Every other day either a student is sent down here screaming or _he's_ covered in scratches and _ecchymosis_."

Link cringed slightly, but he was still grinning slightly. "Lila and Amira actually came down here?"

"Yes and it took fifteen minutes to convince them that nothing was wrong with them!" Impa exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "Honestly, Link, I had to put up with a great number of injuries when you came here—I swear you're the reason I've gotten so good at this job-"

"You're welcome."

Her red eyes glowered as she finished, "Just one, normal, quiet school day is all I ask for. Is that really too much?"

Link chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "Uh… I'll try, but… I'm not so certain how well that's going to work out…"

"Link, I-Oh…"

Zelda's head shot to the door as yet another masculine voice entered Impa's domain: her father.

The rather round Hylian straightened himself as he looked between Aryll, Link and Midna (who was still wearing combat boots). "I heard about what happened and I… I'm so sorry I…"

"Sir, did you want to see me?" Link suggested quietly.

The portly man closed his mouth, his eyes filling with confusion and… Desperation? Zelda's brow furrowed at the last possibility. Her father, not seeing this, simply nodded in response. "My office," he muttered as he turned and headed down the hallway.

Link glanced at Aryll, who nodded, before turning toward Zelda's father and exiting the room.

Impa furrowed the brow as she put the last few touches on Aryll's burns. "I have a feeling they're going to need me in there…" she muttered. "Can you girls behave yourselves for the next couple minutes?"

The girls nodded simply in response.

The silver-haired nurse nodded. She started toward the door when she hesitated and spoke, "Midna, I believe you should accompany me."

Zelda looked at Aryll, Aryll looked at Midna, Midna muttered, "Crap," before following Impa and disappearing into the hallway.

_My sentiments exactly…_ Zelda thought grimly before standing. "I'll see if I can get in there, too." Aryll raised her brow, but did nothing to stop her as the Hylian female rushed after the school nurse and to her father's office.

**…**

Impa had raised an eyebrow when Zelda had caught up to her, but she said nothing and allowed her to enter Principal Hykarin's office without saying a word. She always seemed to know what was going on. So Zelda stood, half hidden and unnoticed behind the Sheikah woman.

The Headmaster stood behind his desk, arms folded as he looked at the individuals gathered. Mr. Dragmire was scowling at Mala, who fidgeted in front of him. The said female's expression was hard set as she glared at Link from her peripherals. The blond, however, remained focused on his boss; his expression was firm, but relaxed. Midna was sandwiched between Link and Impa, catching Mala's look, she glared at the offending Gerudo. Impa shot the Twili a warning glance, but said nothing to draw attention to herself or Midna. Zelda tried to match her stance with Impa's in an attempt to avoid her father's gaze-so far nobody seemed to notice her presence.

Mr. Hykarin's complexion seemed better as he demanded what exactly had happened in that locker room. Being the cordial man he always was, Ganondorf stepped in to answer the question.

Ganondorf shrugged innocently. "I don't know what happened after I instructed Miss Alavryn and Mala to go grab more equipment, sir. But Mala has always been such a sweet girl. I honestly have trouble believing such a story. But what I really want to know is what Miss Nightshado was doing around the locker rooms…"

The said Twili narrowed her eyes in anger as Daltus turned his gaze on her. "You told me to go change my shoes. Besides, I never knew that there was a fight going on in the locker room."

Now it was the principal's turn to narrow his eyes, in confusion, though. "But you were there… How could you not have known?"

"Because _I_ never went in," Midna corrected. She then pointed her finger at her substitute teacher. "Link yelled for me to get Impa, made me leave and then went in there himself."

Daltus raised a perplexed brow as he turned to face Link, who nodded.

"I had gone home during third period to get Midna's gym clothes. I went to the locker rooms to see if she was waiting around there somewhere..."

"And you didn't see her?" Ganon asked quizzically. "Why then did you decide to enter the _Girls' _Locker Room? Surely you would have checked the gym room before entering there?" Ganondorf asked, a sadistic grin spreading across his face.

Link glared at the gym teacher but remained silent. The point of accusation had suddenly shifted in Ganondorf's favor.

"Did you know there was a fight going on in there?" The principal asked slowly.

Link opened his mouth to continue when another voice answered for him. "No, sir, he didn't, but I did. And I alerted him to the fact. Sorry if that's caused an inconvenience."

Zelda hadn't heard the door open, but there stood a blond, red-eyed man in the frame. Her eyes widened as recognition clicked in her brain.

"Officer Ryler?" Daltus asked, openly confused.

"If I may…" Sheik gestured for permission to enter. Daltus quickly nodded with a slightly relieved 'please.' Sheik smiled at entered, closing the door behind him.

Ganondorf scowled. Link stared.

"I had gotten a call from a student here who claimed they heard something going on in the locker room. I was on my way to investigate when I met Mr. Link entering the building. He asked what an officer was doing here and so I told him. The instant the words left my mouth that something was wrong near the gym, he took off running.

"Unfortunately, I don't know my way around here like I used to and struggled to find the room. But… apparently the issue was resolved."

Principal Hykarin nodded slowly, looking rather relieved. "So you did know?"

Link nodded and Ganondorf scowled.

"And, if I may, sir," Impa said, "Miss Alavryn is covered in burns while Miss Dragmire hardly has a mark on her."

"Yes, but traces of her magic are evident in that room! Plus, Mala has had her magic sealed!" Ganondorf roared. "Students are not permitted to block another's abilities and-"

"I'm afraid that was me," Link cut in. "Miss Dragmire wouldn't stop attacking, and even attacked me when I entered the room and forced me to perform a Sealing spell."

Ganondorf's scowl deepened. "And what proof do you have, Alavryn. How do we know that we can trust your word? The possibility of expulsion is facing your charges, after all."

"That's true, but so is yours."

"Gentlemen!" Principal Daltus roared. He groaned as he sunk back into his leather seat, rubbing his temples. "Somebody in this room is in a heap of trouble and if we can't get to the bottom of this, then I will have no choice but to expel all of those in question."

"But Midna didn't have anything to do with this!" Link interjected, anger ablaze in his eyes.

"We can neither confirm nor deny this information, Mr. Alavryn. Now, please, be silent."

Link bit his lip and silenced, but his eyes were roaring.

"Now, if we cannot come to a consensus with our information, then-"

Zelda couldn't take it anymore. "Why don't we check the cameras?"

Her father's gaze landed on her, looking confused once more as he just realized that she had been sitting there for the duration of the meeting. "Zelda, what in the name of Hyrule are you doing here?"

She ignored his question. "Didn't Bagu and Error finish installing the security cameras over the weekend? They're made to track magic, wouldn't it show what happened?"

He nodded slowly and turned to his computer. "Security: Girls' Locker Room." A black and white image instantly flickered to life. Flashes of orange magic flared across the screen, chasing Aryll as she dodged around a set of lockers, throwing protective spells uselessly against the Gerudo.

As the whole scenario played out, Mala blanched and turned to her uncle, petrified. Her uncle looked absolutely furious. After it was all over, he turned to his niece, seemingly shocked and said, "Mala, why would you do this?"

Her eyes widened with disbelief and she opened to argue, but couldn't seem to find the words.

"Well… the cameras can't lie…" Principal Hykarin said, looking away from the screen as Mala hissed her choice words in Gerudo. "Miss Dragmire, you have attacked a student _and_ a teacher. What have you to say in your defense?"

She gaped uselessly for a second before looking down at the ground. "Nothing, sir."

"Very well." The principal pulled her file from a cabinet nearby and read over it quickly. "Miss Dragmire, since this is your first offense, you will have one week suspension and detention for the following week on your return. Does this sound fair?"

"Yes, sir," she grumbled.

"Excellent. Everyone is now excused." He set Link a glance as he was the last exiting the room. "Mr. Alavryn, I would like to speak with you tomorrow."

Link simply nodded before exiting the room.

**…**

"Thank you," Link muttered quietly to the person walking beside him.

Zelda looked up in surprise. "What do you mean?"

Link smiled wearily. "You mentioned security cameras. You kept Midna from getting expelled and Aryll from getting suspended."

Zelda felt heat rise to her face. Link… Mr. Alavryn was thanking her. She quickly turned away. "I didn't want to see that happen. Besides, my father can become irrational and brash when he's tired the way he was. Normally he would have been a lot fairer, though… I think something has been weighing heavily on his mind for the past while…"

"He is the Principal of Hyrule Academy," Link said simply. They were quiet for a few moments as they neared the nurse's office (Impa had gone ahead of them and was already inside). "But… Yeah… Thanks again, Miss Hykarin. I owe you one." Link then turned on his heel and began to walk away.

Zelda's face flushed again slightly, but she felt her heart drop slightly as he said "Miss Hykarin." She shook her head. Why should it even matter? Sighing slightly, she turned and entered the office to tell Aryll and Midna what had happened.

**…**

"And what about me?" a teasing, masculine voice asked, seemingly hurt.

Link pulled the teasing voice closer as he muttered, "I didn't even see you before all of this… What are you doing here?"

"You're welcome and I really did get a call. Though… I only got here about five minutes ago…" Sheik pulled a slightly guilty expression.

"Then how did you know to go to the Principal's office?" Link asked quizzically.

Sheik grinned. "My Sheikah senses were tingling as they always do when you get yourself into trouble."

Link grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head.

Sheik continued, "But that's all beside the point… What are _you_ doing here?"

"Babysitting my favorite nemesis," Link said with a shrug.

"What fun." The Sheikah grinned broadly as he grabbed his best friend in a half hug. "Just like old times, eh? Getting into trouble, then bailing each other out… Fighting our deranged gym teacher…"

Link nodded with a quiet chuckle. "Yeah."

Sheik grinned. "Anyways, haven't seen you in a while. How've things been?"

"Normal. You?"

"Normal."

"Awesome. Just a couple average guys," Link muttered half-heartedly.

Sheik laughed as the two friends walked down the hallways. After a few moments of silence, Sheik spoke again. "So what's really happening here? I get the impression that this whole fiasco wasn't just an unpleasant coincidence."

Link nodded. "I'm pretty sure he's up to it again."

Sheik's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by that exactly. He's up to his old tricks again?" Link sighed and hung his head in exhaustion. "Can't say right now? Alright. _Just_ like old times, then. And you can tell me whatever you can tomorrow when we hang out. And then we can call it even. Deal?"

Link, too tired to argue, just laughed and nodded. "It's nice to have you back, Sheik."

The said Sheikah laughed as he said. "Oh, yeah. And now that I'm here, the real fun can begin."

* * *

><p><strong>MangaMaid:<strong> So... What did you think? Happy to see our oh so awaited Sheikah friend? And a chapter early too! Hooray!

**XIII:** YOU'RE FIXED!

**MangaMaid:** *Eating red velvet cupcake* Yup.

**XIII: **Where did you get that?

**MangaMaid:** Uh... My cupcake.

**XIII:** ... Uh... Kay. Anyways, your thoughts? Did you like it? TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS! I need energy because I've hit a brain block for the next chappie... And I love hearing from you guys!

_Jazzmatazz2000:_ Hahaha! You really are filled with cheesy comments (and spunky, hilarious reviews, might I add). That's why I love reading your energetic feedback. XP Hahaha! I like how this whole thing just turned into a cheesy film or something. Ah, flub flub, welcome to the review. Anyways, thanks for your feedback, it's always nice to know what's going well and what isn't. HAHA! It's okay, unibrow guy. I still like you. :D **Part 2**: Oh, no! Poor Flub Flub! Hahaha. Okay, thanks for fixing him! XP

_Kayna:_ Heehee. I'm glad you love this so much. And hopefully those answers will be coming to you soon. :D

_Katie:_ Yes! You reviewed! XP Long time see. It's nice to have you back :) And, thanks for your enthusiasm, but there are plenty of other writers out there with great stories and much better writing techniques, plot lines and characters than me. But, again, thanks for the thought.

_fan1:_ :) I'm glad you think so! What did you think of Chapter 9?

**Character Index:**

Uh... NONE? Depression... Oh, well... At least Sheik's here in the flesh. I guess that'll have to do. :)

REVIEW!


	11. Chapter 10

**WhiteXIII: **Hey, guys! Sorry this took so long! I HATE BRAINBLOCKS! YOU HAVE NO IDEA! RAWR!

**MangaMaid4545:** And glitchy computers.

**WhiteXIII****:** *Growls* Again, no idea... Anyways! THANKS TO: Love's Abyss, LEva114 (), Cerberuswolf, chupacabrabeliver18, Random asian guy, SupernalGodzilla, Sapphiet, Katia0203, whosahassa, The Supreme, HeroofTwilightsgf, Mr. Hq2q, EmeraldLava, Legend of the Hero of Time, akitachick, Zelda888, Amethyst 269, Ewelyn The Ghost, anonomyous, onyxgirl22, Midnight Sound, ShadowNinja1011, dragoness of storm, BlitzAce-1, Wavebreeze, No Name 1, No Name 2, Astra'shadow, FantaManiac, LZfanatic12, demonic angel23, Jazzmatazz2000, Hawkz, Veils of Silver Myst, Foxyfellow, RAF-Fire, Great Angemon, No Name 3, THISISSPARTAAAAAAAA, and Quinn S. H FOR EVERYTHING!

You guys are awesome and I lurves you! And-GASP! Wait! I just remembered! MANGAMAID! YOU ATE MY CUPCAKE!

**MangaMaid:** I told you it was my cupcake!

**XIII:** But I wants one! Fine! I'll just have to make my own!

**MangaMaid:** And if I eat that?

**XIII:** *Tears up* You wouldn't... Not after all the help I gave you with your upcoming oneshots and current fics! ... Pwease? *Puppy eyes*

**MangaMaid:** Fine. Fine. I won't eat your cupcake.

**XIII:** YAY! So... out of curiosity, what do you guys think our relationship is? Friends or Siblings?

Anyways, onto the story that took forever!

* * *

><p>Chapter 10<p>

_**Day: Wednesday**_

Zelda gave a quiet growl of frustration as she pulled her hair back down from the braid she had just done before taking another long look in the tall, vertical mirror that hung on her door. She turned her head side to side before letting off a low sigh and, for the third time that morning, putting her hair back into its braided form.

After she finished, she stared at her reflection, frowning as she muttered, "Am I really just the girl next door?"

She bit her lip as she looked over herself. Sure she hardly ever did anything with her hair and maybe it wouldn't kill her to do something for it besides a braid and… so what if she was a stickler for the rules, that didn't make her the girl next door… did it?

And just because her father took her with him and her mother to fancy business meetings, the fact that her father was the principal of the Academy or even that her family was rich… Did that really make her the "proper type" either?

She scowled, finally resigning to the braid that was firmly affixed in her hair, though it ended near the base of her neck, leaving the rest of it to hang in a ponytail. She could honestly care less.

But as she proceeded to open the door, she stopped, her gaze snagged on her reflection. She paused for a moment… _Who cares what they think! _Zelda finally mentally huffed and shook her head as she grabbed her backpack and keys and yelled to her dad that she was going to school early that morning.

_But maybe I could ask Ruto for help… just in case._ Zelda sighed. _Midna would kill me if she heard me right now…_

…

"Are you kidding me? So she burns Aryll to the point where she has to miss school, blatantly attacks you with fire, and she only gets _suspended_? What the heck is up with that? I mean, in the Twilight Realm, expulsion would have cost her any or all chances of getting back into _any_ school."

The little tan car jostled as it climbed over a speed bump in Hyrule Academy's parking lot. Link said nothing as Midna continued her rant and instead chose to stare out the front window with his mouth fixed in a firm line.

He finally muttered, "I'm sure Principal Hykarin has his reasons, Midna."

The Twili turned towards Link and frowned. "A reason? What more of a reason does he need than Mala attacked a student _and_ teacher with _magic_ in one of Hyrule's most prestigious schools? I mean, come on! I almost get expelled for wearing combat boots and she burns a student and teacher and only gets a week of _suspension_! That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of, Link!"

"And so is racism, but it's still around in abundance, Mid."

Midna frowned as she unbuckled and pulled herself out of the little beaten car. "Yeah, I know, but…" She growled. "Link, I hate it when you make sense."

Link finally cracked a grin. "Oh, but it's so much fun to mess with your head."

She scowled again as she shook her head, but still chuckled quietly. "Geez. Sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve winding up living with you and Aryll. I mean… what cruel and unusual punishment."

"Hey!" Link exclaimed in protest.

Midna laughed as suit-and-tie Link gave her a childish scowl. However, before she could poke fun her guardian, the sound of an engine could be heard as a blue car pulled around the near empty parking lot. Midna glanced around Link and grinned as soon as she recognized the driver.

"Hey, Zel!" she yelled, running up to where her friend had parked several spots away.

Zelda looked up and smiled at Midna as she pulled her backpack from her car. "Good morning, Midna. You're here unusually early."

"I could say the same for you."

Zelda cocked an eyebrow. "And you would know that how? You always get to school way later than me."

Midna laughed nervously. "Okay. Okay, I get the point. I wanted to get here a little earlier than usual today so I could talk to the teachers and get Aryll's assignments."

Zelda frowned as she glanced behind Midna and taking note of the missing pig-tailed Hylian girl. "She's staying home, huh?"

The Twili scowled again for a moment as she nodded. "I wanted to stay home with her, but she talked me out of it, saying she needed homework, notes, blah, blah, you know. Anyways, what's with the car, Zel! Where the heck did this come from?"

"Hm? Oh…" Zelda turned a little pink with embarrassment, but tried to shrug it away casually. "Meh, it's not a bit deal really."

Midna scowled. "Don't try to pull a 'me.' Just tell me what happened with this whole Zelda-Got-A-Car Thing."

Zelda turned pink at being caught so easily as she answered, "My parents said it was for being good with all the dinners and stuff they've been taking me to, for being responsible and being trusted with freedom, etc."

"Ah, parental pride, huh?" Midna asked with a small laugh. Zelda gave another laugh in response as Midna slowly looked over her car before giving an affirming nod. "Nice. Anyways, to school we go! I have a million notes to copy today!" She then turned to look behind her. "Link, you don't think you could talk to some of the teachers to help me out with this, do you?"

Zelda stiffened slightly as she just noticed the substitute teacher who had finally succeeded in pulling everything he needed from his car.

Link, however just grinned and shrugged at his Twili charge. "I'll see what I can do, but I make no promises."

Midna gave a teasing pout. "You and your lousy memory is no help at all, Link. Fine. Just don't worry about it." She grinned as she turned to Zelda and grabbed her arm. "Zel, you don't mind helping me out, right? I don't have all my classes with Aryll, so-"

Zelda gave a weak smile as she muttered, "Of course."

Midna grinned. "Alright then. Off we go!"

**PERIOD: 2. CLASS: Ancient Hylian. ROOM: 117. TEACHER: Biggoron Absconditus.**

Zelda sighed as she completed the translation she had just gotten in class and quickly packed her things up. She looked around the classroom for a few silent moments, watching as other students struggled to translate what they had been given. The Hylian girl sighed in slight boredom. It was more fun to have a friend with her in class. She then smiled as she recalled last period in Health.

_ "My hand hurts…" Midna said with a frown after she finally set her pen down. The classroom lights turned on as Mr. Pikes finally finished his notes from the power point._

_ "It's only the beginning of the school day, Midna… Besides, you said you wanted to take the second half of the notes for this class…"_

_ "Yeah, but why did there have to be so many?" Midna complained, rubbing her right hand in hopes of dulling the pain._

_ Zelda shook her head and laughed at her friend. Midna scowled at her but said nothing more as she grabbed the list Aryll had written for her last night and scanned over its contents once again._

Zelda shook her head at the memory, laughing quietly. Midna could be so silly. Aryll too. Even though things had been crazy for the past few weeks they had seemed happier than ever, at least as far as Zelda could tell. Midna was cracking more jokes and even played around with Link at school…

Her smile faded slightly. Though she didn't know him very well—a fact on which her mother was bent on disproving—he seemed to be a kind person. Her father certainly seemed to think so. Then why, yesterday after the fight between Mala and Aryll, had her father not listened to him?

…

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Link asked, closing the door softly behind him.

"Yes…" The principal gave a pointed look to the door. Understanding the gesture, Link leaned against it casually and locked it shut before sitting in the seat in front of the big, mahogany desk. Relaxing a little, Principal Hykarin leaned forward and rested his elbows on his desk. "Have you found anything?"

Link shook his head slowly, cautiously. "No, he hasn't done anything out of the normal yet. Though… I do have my suspicions that he may have influenced his niece's behavior yesterday. There were traces of his magic all over her."

The principal's brows came down in concentration and slight confusion. "He bewitched his own niece? Whatever for? Isn't that a little-"

"Drastic even for him? I know. That's what I thought and, for a while, I thought I was mistaken, but…" Link's eyes narrowed. "He seemed so calm yesterday when I passed him after I broke up the fight. He's never that calm… I'm not sure if that was just a distraction or-"

Daltus' eyes flew wide. "You think he knows?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.

Link bit his lower lip. "I wouldn't completely dismiss that possibility, but he hasn't left yet or even tried anything else. He didn't even come in for his morning hassling. I think, more than anything… that he's just being impatient."

The principal let off a low sigh of relief and slumped back into his chair. "Good…"

"I guess so, but… he could honestly be more dangerous this way. You know why he's doing all this and he's not going to stop until he succeeds. All we can really do is wait for him to mess up so we can have the Three and the law fighting with us on this one. Then we can really nail him."

Daltus Hykarin sighed slowly as he leaned forward in his chair and looked Link in the eye. "So it's another waiting game, then?"

Link gave an affirming nod. "I'm sorry I can't tell you any more than that."

The principal buried his head into his hands. "The Aurea are growing concerned, Link. I…I honestly don't know what to tell them, let alone what to do about this whole mess. And as long as Zelda's… Link, please… I know I've already asked so much of you, put your life and your family's in danger but… please, protect Zelda. I can't do it alone any more…"

"You never were on your own, sir." Mr. Hykarin looked up at Link, his eyes brimming with mist. Link's eyes gentled as he gave a reassuring smile as he added, "I'll do everything within my power to protect your daughter. You have my word."

At this, the portly principal finally began to break down, the mist in his eyes beginning to concentrate into tears as he buried his head onto his desk and sobbed. "Thank you…Link. Thank you. I know I can trust what you say and… Oh, Link, you know I believed you yesterday with the fight, but... I just… He… I couldn't… Without real evidence…" The principal buried his head miserably into his hands. "He… He came in the other day and…" He looked up to the substitute teacher, tears building in his eyes as he whispered, "He threatened Zelda… the school… everything… I-I panicked, Link… I'm sorry."

The gentle air about him dropped as Link's brow furrowed. "Sir, what are you talking about? Sorry about what?"

"He knows," Principal Hykarin gasped, hardly audible. "He knows about Zelda, he knows about _it_." He looked up again at Link with bloodshot eyes. "He knows _it's_ here."

Link paled slightly, but still spoke confidently. "Is that what you meant by…? Are you certain?"

Daltus nodded feebly. "He came in yesterday morning and demanded that I told him what he wanted to know… And I… Link, I'm sorry…" He began to reach out his two fingers towards Link.

Link's eyes were thick with confusion at his words, but leaned forward, allowing Principal Hykarin's fingers to press against his temple. He felt the magic of a connection working almost immediately. Link blinked and quickly found himself standing in a black and white, misted version of Daltus' office: a memory.

_Ganondorf Dragmire slammed his hands against the desk. "Look, Hykarin. You can't hide this from me _again_. I know that you brought Alavryn here to work for you and I know that you know its location and I want it!"_

_ "I don't know what you are speaking of," Daltus replied evenly as he straightened some papers on his desktop. _

_ Ganondorf's eyes darkened. "So this is how it's going to be. Very well." With speed that was inhuman, Ganondorf leaned across the table, lifted the principal from his seat and pressed his fingers against his temples._

_ The principal's eyes widened and he struggled to free himself. But it was too late; Ganondorf's magic was already infecting his mind. Daltus felt it tug and strain as Ganondorf tried to pull the information out. Literally._

_ "I don't know where it is anymore!" Daltus screeched in agony. "Link…"_

_ Ganondorf dropped the man in disgust and anger as a bit of information crossed his mind from Daltus'. "Link, huh? You had him erase your memories of its location upon his initial arrival, didn't you?" _

_ Daltus was laying on his table, clutching his temples in agony._

_ "So you're hiding behind that measly kid again, huh? Pathetic. It seems that I will have to be paying him a little visit… Thank you, boss," Ganondorf said the last word with great distaste. "I'll be sure to come for another visit…"_

Slowly, the color returned to the room and Link was standing back where he had been moments ago. Daltus removed his fingers from Link's temple, tears beginning to fall down his cheeks.

Heaviness fell onto Link's gaze as he realized what his boss was getting at. "You told him that I knew, but I wouldn't tell him either… and that's why he went after Aryll…" he filled in slowly.

Again, Daltus nodded. "I am so, so sorry, Link. I didn't… I didn't think that he would be so aggressive…"

The Hylian man looked away, but kept his voice even. "It's only natural. He's been searching for nine years now… He's getting desperate… I'm pretty sure that he's known about Wisdom for a while now, but… other than that, I don't think he knows very much." Link was quiet for a while as his mind flipped through everything that had transpired since his arrival. "It's probably a good thing that, on my first day, you had me erase your mind of any information regarding this… It's probably best if I'm the only one that does for the time being."

Shock shone through Hykarin's gaze. "But that means… He'll come after you."

Link's eyes narrowed to angry slits. "He can't do anything to me," he brought his gloved, left hand up and continued, "and he won't dare to try attacking my family again. He knows better…"

Daltus fell silent for a moment before burying his hands in his head again. "I'm sorry, Link… But, he's really right… I've relied on you so heavily. It really isn't fair… the burden I've given you… You're too young for all of this grief…"

"And your daughter isn't? Besides, the Oracles decided that I wasn't too young twelve years ago and then three years later, why should it be too early now? Besides," Link slowed, his temper soothing out, "everything will be okay. I promise."

Principal Daltus Hykarin looked so thin and feeble, even through his portly gut. "But I-"

Link's eyes grew firm as he placed his hands on the Principal's desk. "Principal Hykarin, have I ever broken a promise to you?" When his boss shook his head, Link continued. "And I'm not going to. I promised you last Friday that I would watch over Zelda while I was here and I am going to keep that oath!"

Daltus was silent for a long time as he watched the determined Hylian man in silence. No wavering gaze, no signs of fear, only firm resolve. The principal finally looked away and muttered, "Thank you, Link… You… You've truly become a great man… Your father would be proud."

Link was silent for a moment, his breath stuck in his throat. "Thank you, sir… It's kind of you to say that… Everything will be fine." Without waiting to be excused, Link turned and exited the principal's office before letting out a low sigh as the bell rang, ending second period. He shook his head before continuing on and turning his mind to one vital question: _How exactly am I going to keep this promise?_

**PERIOD: Lunch. PLACE: Outside.**

Zoranor sat with the group again, though he kept Ruto occupied by asking for help with his Hylian homework. The female Zora practically bubbled over with happiness as she proceeded to attempt explaining the new language to her struggling friend.

Nabooru, Midna, Ilia, Saria and Malon laughed quietly at Ruto's reactions before turning to discuss what was going on with Aryll.

"She's still in a lot of pain today, so she decided to stay home and rest a little longer." Midna explained as she dug into her sack lunch.

"Oh, that's terrible. Poor Aryll… Is she home alone then?" Saria asked quietly, her green eyes gleaming with worry.

"Yeah, her brother's here at work today, right? Who's taking care of her?" Malon asked, setting down her own food to speak.

"Grandma Alavryn," Midna said dryly. "You guys have met her before. She used to be a nurse. And if anything bad happens then Fado can do something."

"Who's Fado again?" Ilia asked, suddenly perplexed at the idea that there was yet another person living in Aryll's house. "Do you mean the goat guy?"

Midna nodded. "Yeah. The one that never talks."

Ilia nodded slowly and returned to her meal.

"Well that sucks," Nabooru commented as she tore a piece of her sandwich off. "Tell her to get better for all of us, okay?"

Midna nodded as Saria began looking around slowly. "Um…" the Kokiri started quietly. "Where's Zelda?"

The Twili shrugged. "She offered to turn in an assignment Aryll gave me this morning. Said it was on her way, or something like that."

"Well she'd better hurry or she's going to miss the entertainment…" Nabooru said with a wicked grin as Ruto gushed over something Zoranor had just said in broken Hylian.

…

Zelda walked as quickly as she could without breaking into her run until she finally reached her locker in the Seniors' hallway. She had just finished making a delivery to one of Aryll's teachers and needed to grab the rest of the books that would be required for the remainder of the day. Pausing for a moment, she scanned her locker to double check for anything she had forgotten.

"Hey there, Hykarin," a female voice suddenly snarled from behind her.

Zelda spun to see none other than to recognize the speaker as none other than Amira, accompanied by Lila. "Hi…" Zelda said slowly.

The corner of Amira's mouth rose up into a sneer of distaste. "Is that all you really have to say to us? 'Hi?' You got Mala in trouble and that's the attitude you're giving us?"

"What's your problem, Princess?" Lila asked mockingly.

Zelda opened and closed her mouth a few times, confused and a little hurt. _Princess?_

"What's wrong? Now you're too high and mighty to even talk to us?" Lila snapped.

"Oh, here's the problem, Lila. Her hair isn't even in a complete braid today." Amira picked up Zelda's pony-braid with disgust. "What exactly is this supposed to be, Hykarin? An attempt at fashion? Well here's a wakeup call for you! You'll never get noticed by anybody with your looks and attitude, Hykarin!"

"Who would even notice somebody like her?" Lila snarled as she slammed Zelda's locker shut behind her. "Why would anybody even care?"

Zelda opened her mouth to protest, but quickly bit it shut in fear of screaming at them or just breaking down in tears.

"Oh, did we hurt the pwetty pwincess' feelings?" Amira asked mockingly.

"On the bright side, Hykarin, your hair finally matches your intelligence: stupid."

Amira and Lila laughed, giving each other high fives as they began to walk away, simultaneously saying, "Later, loser!"

The mist that had been building up in Zelda's eyes finally began to break its way through Zelda's lashes and onto her cheeks as the Hylian girl turned and ran down the adjoining hallway. Hearing voices coming from down the empty corridors, she quickly ducked inside the closest, emptiest room and cried. Little did she know that a certain blond sub had taken notice of what had just occurred.

…

Ganondorf growled, infuriated as he circled around the Math hallway for the third time that day. He couldn't find it _anywhere_. Was it possible that it had grown legs and just walked away. He scoffed at the idea, then scowled for sounding like stupid, sarcastic, smart aleck Alavryn.

Dragmire rounded the next corner towards the History hallway, only to run into his favorite nemesis.

Link looked up, slightly surprised, but quickly covered it with a smile and a nod. "Oh, hey, Ganon." He gave a two-fingered salute. "'Sup?"

Ganondorf growled, turned on his heel and stalked away after muttering, "None of your business." The Gym teacher's mood did not improve as his heavy footsteps invaded his office with a sharp slamming noise as his poor door was abused into being shut.

He slumped into the chair and went back to looking for information on the computer. However, before he could get far, the air in the corner twisted and though no shape was taken an old weathered voice asked, "Find it yet?"

"No," the Gerudo male muttered irritably. "It seems wherever I go or whatever I do, Alavryn's putting a hold on my plans. That stupid Twili should have gotten expelled yesterday by fighting with my niece. I even increased her anger to the fever pitch so she wouldn't back down from mini Alavryn, but no. _He_ stopped it. And while the Alavryn girl is temporarily out of commission, Zelda still has her little Twili friend around to protect her."

The weathered voice was silent for a moment and in that silence, another voice cackled off the close walls. "You're really letting that little boy bother you again? So easily he gets under your skin? If attacking him doesn't give him incentive to leave, then threaten his loved ones."

Ganondorf shook his head and slammed his fist down in frustration. "But the more I threaten them, the more he closes in. The second I give him a real sign that I'm up to something, he'll zero in and put a stop to it and the Three will take his side." He shook his head again and continued through gritted teeth, "No, Kotake, the last thing I can do at this moment is attack his family… I believe he already suspects me of being behind Mala's abnormally violent behavior."

He could almost hear the grin as the first voice spoke, "Oh, but you have that pathetic Hykarin right under your thumb. As long as his daughter is vulnerable, he'll be more capable of seeing things your way."

"And that's the only way I can get Alavryn off my case, I know. But with every step I take, the kid mirrors it. Which is exactly why I need Alavryn out of here. I suspect that that blithering idiot hired him specifically. Why else would he call such an inexperienced teacher?"

"Regardless of the boy, you must continue in our plans. And, for the time being, the best plan is to not plan."

Ganondorf finally turned to the corner and quirked a raised brow. "Koume?"

The first voice continued, "Allow Alavryn to do whatever it is he may. The original teacher will have to return eventually, but, for the time being, watch and wait for the time."

"And improvise wherever necessary," Kotake added.

Grudgingly, Ganondorf nodded. "Very well, but as soon as time's up, I'm going to take care of her personally…" Magic crackled around his fingers and a golden hue began to appear faintly. He cast a dark grin across the room as the three drowned out the sound with their laughter.

…

Zelda plopped into the nearest chair she could find and rested her head against her palms. She wasn't perfect or high and mighty… And Zelda really didn't aim for that anyways. Sure she was a stickler for the rules and got good grades, but… that didn't really make her the goody little two shoes who did whatever "her precious daddy told her" … that didn't make her a "pwetty little pwincess"… Did it?

Zelda bit her lower lip in frustration as mist appeared in the corner of her eyes. It wasn't fair. No matter what she did, she was always measured up to some sort of expectation, she was always the girl next door, always the "proper type," always daddy's little girl… '_Don't I have any personality for myself? Am I really just invisible?_'

"Oh, Miss Hykarin…"

The Hylian girl shot up into a billboard-straight position as she turned around towards the entryway.

Link was standing there with a surprised expression on his face. However, he quickly recovered and gave her a friendly smile. "Well this is a surprise. Were you waiting long? Did you need something?"

"Huh?" Zelda said slowly, her brain buzzing with questions of 'how long has he been standing there?' and 'what the heck is going on?'

"You're in my classroom…" Link said slowly.

_Oh!_ _I'm such an idiot!_ Zelda scolded herself mentally as she quickly arose from her seat. "Oh, sorry, I just, um… Was looking for a quiet place to… study and just ducked into the closest room."

"Ah," Link said still smiling as he crossed over to his desk. However, he stopped as he neared Zelda. He stared at Zelda's face for a while and frowned slightly. "Miss Hykarin…" he started slowly.

_Oh, Oracles, why am I so bad at lying?_ But the frown… Her eyes widened slowly in panic. Could he tell? Could he see the tears that had been threatening to appear? Her mouth went a little dry.

"Zelda… You look different today…"

Zelda furrowed her brow in confusion. "Different?"

Link nodded slowly, pensively. "Yeah… Did you do something different with-" His eyes widened as recognition crossed his gaze. "Oh! You did your hair different today."

"Huh?" Zelda blinked slowly. Wait… Could he not tell…?

The blond substitute grinned. "You have a braid-ponytail thing going on. I've never seen you wear your hair like that before."

"What? Oh… I, um… I just wanted to do something different today…" Zelda said slowly as she began nervously playing with the hair that was draping over her shoulder.

"It looks nice."

"I-It does?" Amira and Lila's taunts rolled through her mind: _"You'll never get noticed by anybody with your looks and attitude, Hykarin!" "Who would notice you?" "Why would anybody care?"_

Link tilted his head as he grinned. "Yeah, it suits you well."

"You mean my personality?"

His blue eyes narrowed playfully and his grin remained on his face. "Well, yeah, what else would I mean?"

"Oh…" Zelda turned her gaze to examine the floor in slight disappointment. "So I look like the girl next door…" she muttered, mostly to herself.

"Hm… Nah, I was thinking more like the Zelda type."

Surprised, Zelda's head shot up to see Link smiling at her. "Zelda… type?" she asked slowly.

Link nodded. "Of course. There isn't a cliché term that really fits you. Girl next door? Nuh-uh. But Zelda type? Definitely."

"That's not a type," Zelda said, confused with frustration creeping into her tone.

"Whoever said that?" He gave her another lopsided grin and finally continued on to his desk. He then proceeded to sit and act as if the discussion he had just had was normal.

After a few moments of silence, Zelda smiled as a weight seemed to be lifted from her chest. "A Zelda type, huh?"

Link glanced over his glasses as he looked up to smile at her. "No doubt about it."

Zelda smiled at the substitute warmly. "Thanks, Link. It's nice of you to say that."

"Only stating the truth," Link said with a shrug as he turned back to his work. "Now you probably better get to class. The bell's going to ring soon." Zelda felt a grin creep over her face as she turned and obediently headed towards the door.

"Oh, and Miss Hykarin?" The said Hylian girl turned back to see Link looking at her once again. "Just do me a favor and remember one thing: you're worth more than a bag of worthless clichés, okay?"

Warmth quickly spread across Zelda's face, her heart began to pound a little harder as she simply smiled, afraid to speak lest her tear control left her, and left for class.

**PERIOD: 3 CLASS: Magic and Divination ROOM: 438 TEACHER: Madame Fanadi.**

"Yes! Yes! That is indeed a great cup of Red Tea. Well don, Annai." Madame Fanadi said, patting the Hylian girl's head before proceeded to check on the next person's brew.

"Is this really necessary?" Midna grumbled to Zelda as she checked on her own kettle. The contents were a sickly shade of bubbling violet. "I mean, this is more like Home Economics back in Middle School than preparing to tell the future… And what is a dried up, then rehydrated and boiled piece of plant supposed to do for future telling anyways? It's not even a potion! It's just the precursor for a health thing! Why didn't we just do this in Health class?"

Zelda shrugged as she stirred her own, took a brief whiff of the fumes before turning the heat off and returning to take notes. But her mind wasn't willing to focus completely on the topic at hand. '_Worth more than clichés, huh? Hm…_' Her face tinged pink and she allowed herself to smile at Link's comforting words. '_Maybe Link's right. I really shouldn't let it bug me. He really is a good person…_'

She suddenly frowned as the thought of him being a substitute re-entered her mind. He was a teacher, and she a student. Even if Aryll and Midna wanted her to get along with the guy, would it really be okay? Zelda had made friends with many teachers before, but that was strictly in school. Would it really be okay to get to know Link outside of it? He was a substitute…

Midna frowned as she compared Zelda's gleaming, scarlet liquid in comparison to her own. "Do we really need to take notes on this?" she grumbled as Madame Fanadi finally arrived at their table.

Zelda shrugged silently as Fanadi took a sample of the Hylian girl's Red Tea. She nodded approvingly, said something very vague and continued on to Midna's. Upon seeing the purple concoction she instantly bent down and examined it with painstaking attention.

"This is… This is…" she said, searching for words.

"Horrible, I know. Just put an F on there and let me try again. Please?" Midna said, not able to look at the teacher as she stared at her potion.

"Wonderful!" Fanadi suddenly exclaimed. "You have just made a wonderful Purple Potion! We weren't going to be learning that until Mars came around the Sartorion Star! Well done, young Twili!"

Midna looked up at the teacher's praise, confused. "Huh?"

"You truly are a child of the Twilight, may the stars continue to bless you in which you may reach the very outreaches of the universe. You show great potential, Star Child." She then proceeded to walk away, appearing almost normal until she arrived at the next table and proclaimed something about turnips.

"What the heck just happened?"

Zelda smiled. "I think you just got an A+." Thus earning a stern frown from Midna.

"Okay, Zel," she started as she got into her friend's face. "What's on your mind?"

"Hm?" The Hylian girl mused, finally looking away from her page of notes, which she had not written on for the past few minutes.

"Don't 'hm' me! You've been really quiet since the end of lunch… Did something happen? Was it one of those jerks again?"

"What? Oh, no! It's nothing, Midna. I'm just… thinking…"

"Thinking?" Midna asked skeptically. "Right… Well you should bring you and your 'thinking' over to my house when school's out, okay?"

"What? Why? But I-"

Midna wagged her pointer finger at Zelda as she said, "Just because Aryll had to miss school does not mean that you are off the hook for Link friend making duty! She told me about this and I am going to uphold it! And… I suck at making Red Potion, so…"

Zelda sighed. "I can't, Midna. You know that I have harp lessons on Wednesdays."

"Then cancel!" Midna exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. Zelda looked around, slightly embarrassed, but Fanadi didn't seem to notice, or any of the rest of the class for that matter. Midna yelling really must've become a normal thing for this class…

"But my dad-"

"Forget the rules! Or I'll make you drink this stupid, gross looking thing!" The Twili gestured madly to her Purple Potion, which was quickly changing to a strange shade of color that Zelda didn't even recognize.

"Well-I… I'll talk to my dad…"

Midna smiled at Zelda's half-consent. "Great! See you then!"

**PERIOD: 4. CLASS: Calculus. ROOM: 201. TEACHER: Mr. Gor Amoto Tridu.**

Zelda frowned at the piece of math homework as if it had offended her. "Stupid rules…" she muttered under her breath as her dilemma from her previous class returned.

"Miss Hykarin, is something wrong?" Mr. Tridu's voice asked, suddenly penetrating through Zelda's reverie.

"Huh?" she asked slowly.

With concern shining in his eyes he continued, "You look as if you have something weighing heavily on your mind…" Before Zelda could open her mouth to answer, another voice across the classroom promptly interrupted their conversation.

"Sir, what is this?" one of the boy students, a human, asked.

Mr. Tridu turned a deep shade of red as he accepted the framed picture of him wrestling and losing with his three grandchildren while his daughter laughed in the background. "Me and my grandkids."

"Grandkids?" the human boy blanched. "You have a family? And you actually _wrestle_?"

"Why of course I do! Teachers are people too ya know. I'm allowed to have a life outside of these walls," the Goron teacher began to laugh heartily. "I can Sumo Wrestle my grandchildren all I want. It's what we enjoy!"

Zelda felt something inside of her relax. A low breath of air escaped her lips that she didn't know she had even been holding and she smiled as the pressure she had been feeling in her chest alleviated.

Midna laughed as the goofy math teacher got the boy, who was a wrestler himself, to stand up. She laughed harder as Mr. Tridu gave the boy of what an 'old man Goron' was capable of doing.

'_Yeah…_' Zelda thought as she watched the scene unfolding her, '_Teachers are human too…_' Her mind then shifted as she heard Link's voice say, "_You're worth more than a bag_ _of worthless cliché's, okay?_" Her smile widened as she finally let out a laugh. Yeah, it was okay to become friends with people. Sub or not, it was okay to make friends with Link and that was that.

* * *

><p><strong>XIII<strong>**:** I feel like nothing happened in this chapter at all... *Stares blankly* And I worked so hard on it...

**MangaMaid:** Not true! *Lightly Gibbs slaps WhiteXIII* Something did happen! Transitional moment between Link and Zelda. TO THE REAL FLUFFIES WE GO! HOORAH!

**XIII:** Okay. :) Anyways, would you guys like me to start putting Review Prompts down here? Like Questions for you to think about or answer? I'm just curious because some of you have said that you don't want to write meaningless stuff.

**MangaMaid:** Ooh! Ooh! OOh! I'll give cookies to anyone who answers the question (from the top A/N) as to what we are! Good luck contestants! You don't need to guess correctly. We won't disclose the information, but we want to know what you think!

**XIII:** Oh, yes. *Stares blankly at wall* I'm tired... Anyways! REVIEW! And hopefully the next chapter will be more on time and more amazing! Hooray amazing!

REVIEW!

_anonomyous:_ Yeah, I hate how that happens too. Have you played or seen Skyward Sword? It has lots of lovely, lovely ZeLink in it. XP I about died of happiness while playing. :D Regarding what Link told Midna during FAT (I think that's what you're referring to)… It will be revealed all in due time. Anyways, rest easy and I hope to hear from you again!

_No Name 1:_ Haha. I'm happy too. XP

_No Name 2:_ Yes. Yes he does. XP I'm glad that stuck out to you. And, thanks! I'm happy to hear that I'm still doing good with this thing. :) When you said "I less than three it" I was so confused, but I got it! XP Oh, I am soooo tired. Thanks for your input!

_No Name 3: _Hahaha. Zelception, huh? I thought it was pretty typical to have Sheik and Zelda separated in LoZ fanfics, but I guess not as common as I thought… :)

_FantaManiac:_ Hahaha! I'm glad that in the two seconds Sheik was in the fic that you came to like him so well. We should hopefully be seeing a lot of him in the story considering he is Link's best buddy. :D

_THISISSPARTAAAAAAAA__:_ ^^ You have a great eye for detail and I'm glad that you haven't forgotten all those little tidbits from the beginning. And don't worry, answers will be coming… eventually. XP I'm glad that you love this so much and I'm sorry that it didn't come for a while. I hope it was worth the wait.

_Quinn S. H:_ Thank you for being honest. I've seen some really good ones too and I hope to be able to reach total awesomeness someday. :D But I'm glad you like it anyways!

**Character Index:**

None. Hm... I'll get used to it.


	12. Chapter 11

**WhiteXIII:** NOOOOOO! MangaMaid4545 has been kidnapped! *Puts on Link's armor* TO THE RESCUE! If this chapter is a little choppy, I apologize. This chapter was absolutely ridiculous to write, but I wanted to update earlier than last time, so… Yeah.

THANKS TO: Veils of Silver Myst, Cerberuswolf, Tabbycat270, Random asian guy, Sapphiet, HeroofTwilightsgf, Lost In Dreams19, LEva114, SheComeInRainofFire, dragoness of storm, SupernalGodzilla, ShadowMario3, whosahassa, Mr. Hq2q, anonomyous, Katie, , Astra'shadow, andipanda1112, Cheerio, nikomoon2, Ecliptor, sakura dragonee the dragon, nikomoon2, anon1, chupacabrabeliever18, wolf-mimi, Ragged Mountain, The Happy Mask Salesman, anon2, the ocarina oracle, ChaoticFlower15, Reyser, nine-taileddemonfox1597, AnonyDream, Eternal Nocturne, SAVIOR OF HYRULE, ion2130, ChileGira64, THISISSPARTAAAAAAAA, and KelldrenAllmer FOR EVERYTHING!

Anyways, enjoy! *Sets out on a journey* I'M COMING, MANGAMAID!

ENJOY!

* * *

><p>Chapter 11<p>

_**Day: Wednesday Part 2.**_

"So you _are_ coming over, right?" Midna pressed as she and Zelda packed their things up at the end of Calculus.

Zelda smiled and said, "I'll try to convince my dad."

"Ooooh! Standing up to the big man! You can just give me a call on my cell and tell us when you'll be coming over. I'll make sure that Link stays home tonight, too." She grinned at her friend as she said that sentence. "Good luck Zel, and I'll see you later!" Midna then took off down the hallway to grab her things from her locker.

…

Zelda poked her head around the corner of her father's office door with a timid smile. "Knock, knock."

Her father looked up abruptly from the paper he had been signing and gave her a smile, his eyes wrinkling at their corners. "Zelda, this is an unexpected surprise. You drove today, didn't you?"

"Yes, but… I had a question to ask you," Zelda began timidly.

Her father set down his feather pen and touched his fingers together in a patient waiting gesture. "And that would be…?"

"Would it be alright with you if I went over to the Alavryns' soon? Aryll missed school today since the burns she got yesterday are still hurting her. I was just wondering if it'd be alright for me to go over, give her a hand and keep her company. I know I have harp lessons today, but…" Here came the hard part. "Would it be okay to cancel? Just this once?"

Her father paused for a while as if processing her request. "The Alavryns'?"

"Yes…" Why did he need to clarify that exactly?

He beamed. "Why of course! And don't worry about your harp lessons today, your teacher actually called in and said that something had come up that he needed to attend to." He stood from his desk and walked towards his daughter to give her a quick hug. "I think going to the Alavryn's would be a spectacular idea! I trust either Link or Pearl will be keeping an eye on things?"

Zelda nodded and hugged her father back. "Thank you so much, father! I'll see you later!"

"Be home by ten!" he called after her as the door swung shut behind her. The portly Hylian gave a content sigh as he looked at the place where his daughter had been and turned back to his papers.

…

"Saturday, then? Yeah, I'll be there… Thanks, Freezia." Link quickly snapped his cell phone shut and continued to run around in his room, throwing things around as he desperately tried to remember where he had left his tie. He frowned. Going to work was the last thing he wanted to do today, he'd rather stay home to take care of Aryll, but with all the bills… he really needed to go to work. But where was that stinking tie?

"Hey, Link… What are you doing?" Midna asked as she entered his room. "Seriously, you need to clean up in here…" Something on the floor caught her eye and, taking advantage of Link not paying her much attention, she leaned down and snatched it up. "Um… What is this?" she asked, holding a picture of Link in a bear costume.

Link's ears turned a little pink as he lunged for the picture. "Odd job," he mumbled as he grabbed the picture and threw it on his desk, along with other miscellaneous objects: a pencil, tape, batteries and an empty water bottle.

Midna laughed. "That must've sucked. Work from several years back?"

Link nodded as he began throwing another pile of dirty laundry around.

The Twili shook her head. "Anyways! I just got a call from Zelda, she's coming over soon. She should be here in about ten minutes to help me and Aryll with stuff. That okay with you?"

"Sure, just don't blow up the house!" Link said. He growled as he found his floor, but no tie.

Midna cocked an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for my tie! I have work in about half an hour and I can't find it!" Link said as he jumped over his bed and began searching by his nightstand.

Midna glanced around the room and raised her eyebrow as she found the thing sitting on Link's chair by his desk. She quickly walked over and hid the piece of silk cloth behind her back. "You can't go to work tonight, Link!" If he left, then all of her and Aryll's scheming would have gone to waste... _Come on, Malon…_

"I'm sorry, but it's really not up for me to decide. I-" Just at that moment, Link's cell began ringing again. Link growled as he launched himself over the bed and dug it out from under the pile he had just distributed. "Hello? …Cremia, hi! … Yeah, it really has… What? A day off?"

Midna silently cheered. Malon had convinced her sister!

Link sat up. "No, that's fine… Yeah, okay… I'll see you on Thursday. Thanks…Bye." He sighed as he stood up. "Just kidding. No work."

Midna grinned. "That's the spirit, Link!" She began walking towards the door before she stopped and quickly turned, grabbing the cleanest looking things from his floor as she approached her guardian. "Hey, would you humor me?"

Link raised a brow at her as he began unbutton his gray vest. "How so…?"

The Twili grinned. "Wear these tonight… Oh! Wait, this one… No…" Midna walked over to his dresser and began digging around before turning back to him, her grin growing wider. "This!"

Link gave her a confused look. "Why…?" he asked slowly, suspicious.

"Just do it! It's not like I'm trying to make you were that stupid mascot uniform, right? It's not torture, I assure you." When Link didn't look convinced she added, "Maybe I just wanted to pick what you wear for once!"

"So now I'm your Ben doll?" Link asked with a laugh.

"Yes!" Midna said, laughing as well. She crossed to the door. "Now be a good little dolly and wear that. Okay, Ben?"

"Alright, Mid," Link laughed in response.

A few minutes later, Link jumped down from the last flight of stairs. Aryll looked up from where she was laying on the Living Room couch and smiled. "Hey, Link. Nice look. No work tonight?"

"Nah. I got the night off. Is that going to be okay with you girls?"

"Oh, no, it's perfect," Aryll said, looking to Midna, who gave her a full grin and a thumbs up. Oh, yes, everything was perfect. All was going according to plan and Zelda was going to be there soon. This was all just too easy.

Just then the doorbell rang. Link looked over at it with slight confusion, but moved to open it. Aryll and Midna exchanged glances. Here it went! The plan was going to work!

"Sheik?"

Oh, wait. Nope. No it wasn't. Aryll glared as the problem entered her house with a wide grin.

"Hey, Link! Looks like you actually remembered to stick around the house for once!" Seeing Link's slightly confused look, Sheik prompted, "We were going to catch up today, remember?"

"Oh! Right!" Link said as he finally closed the door, mentally slapping himself for getting his promise to Sheik.

The Sheikah grinned. "Oh, also, I saw Bagu today and look what he gave me to give to you!" He held out a gray, plastic package and waited expectantly. "He said it had something to do with a job?"

Link's eyes widened as he grabbed the package and ripped it open. Sheik leaned over to get a look at it and grinned. "You need some help with your work tonight?"

"Sure. Sounds fun."

"Great!" Sheik took off his sweatshirt as Link turned his attention to the task at hand. "Hey, Aryll. That's a good look for you."

The Hylian girl scowled at him, her voice dripping with displeasure as she said, "Sheik." "Sheik…" Link said in quiet warning.

"Hey, I'm not saying you should make it permanent. I can just tell that you and Link are related now." He was smiling teasingly now.

Aryll frowned as she shifted slightly in her bandages. They wound up her arms and she had a few Band-Aids on her face from the fight yesterday. "Ha. Ha. You're such a comedian."

"Hey, Sheikah Boy, back for more?" Midna asked, her hair rearing to life.

Sheik gave a small grin that reminded Ayrll of her Twili friend in the slightest, which she found slightly disturbing. How the two of them got along was well beyond her. He spoke, "Maybe, maybe, but Link is my opponent tonight." The Sheikah laughed at Midna's disappointed face before he followed after his friend.

"Why did he have to come _tonight_ of all nights?" Aryll mumbled quietly to Midna as the said Twili dropped down so their heads were more level.

"I don't know, but maybe it's a good thing," Midna whispered back. Aryll then gave her best friend an Are-You-Flipping-Kidding-Me look. Midna held her hands up in defense. "Look. All I'm saying is that while Sheik is around, Link is going to be more relaxed, so Zelda can see what he's like, right?"

"Maybe," Aryll consented grudgingly. "But what if he takes up all of Link's time?"

"Uh… Well… We'll make it work!" Midna said stubbornly, her eyes glinting with determination. "We will make this evening work or I will kill Ben!"

…

"Darn it, Link!" Sheik screamed as the TV announced: _WINNER: Player 1!_

Link laughed. "Hey, you're the one that said you wanted to help me do video game testing for Bagu."

"Yeah, but I didn't think you'd be able to beat me. I mean… You're Mr. Mom! Where do you even find time to play these things?"

"Hey! I'm allowed video game playing privileges every now and then!" Link said, pressing pause as he took the time to wave his hands around in the air.

As the boys began their argument, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" Midna yelled, a mischievous grin forming over her face. The plan was about to be set in motion. "Hey, Zel! About time you got here!"

Zelda gave a weak smile. "Hey… Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean…" Hearing the noise in the background, Zelda glanced around Midna to see Aryll laughing at something just beyond her range of vision. "What's going on in there?"

"A problem… But no worries, everything is going to work out. No worries, Zel, if I have my way, then you and Link will be buds by the time the evening's out."

"Uh, Midna…" Zelda began uncertainly as her nerves began to fail her. "Are you sure this is really a good idea? I mean… Mr. Alavryn's our sub…"

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't you dare use those dirty words here! And his name is Link. He said you could use it on his first day of class and, if you want to meet Link-y boy, then you can't talk to him like you're at one of your dad's business meetings okay? I had to learn that lesson the hard way, but it really isn't that hard. Trust me."

"But…"

"Believe me. It's easier to be lax around him than it is to be all serious and stiff." Zelda opened her mouth to protest, but Midna quickly cut her off. "Just come on, Zel. Be yourself and act like you're just hanging out with friends on a typical day."

Zelda gulped as Midna pulled her into the house. She could do this… She could do this… Sub equals person, Link equals person. She just had to hold a conversation with him… No big deal…

"Haha! I beat you, Link!" said a blond-haired man that Zelda quickly recognized.

"Mr. Ryler?" she asked slowly.

The blond Sheikah turned and smiled at Zelda as he recognized her. "Hey! What's up?"

"You know Sheik?" Aryll asked, surprised. Her face gave the impression that she pitied her for the unfortunate fact.

Zelda nodded slowly. "Yeah, he's my harp teacher…"

Sheik shook his head to try and quiet Zelda, but it was too late. Aryll burst out laughing as she turned to face the Sheikah male. "You play the _harp_? Oh, yeah. So manly, Mr. I'm Too Tough For Everything."

Sheik turned a light shade of pink in embarrassment. "Hey! First of all, Impa made me take it and, second, it is too manly!"

"Uh-huh…" Aryll said with a bemused smile. "And please explain how that logic pans out, exactly?"

Their argument faded into the background as Zelda noticed there was another blond-haired figure sitting beside him on the floor. Her brows furrowed together before her eyes widened suddenly. _Link?_

The said history sub was wearing dark washed jeans and a green shirt that had the Triforce embossed on its front. His hair was scraggly, if not even more untamed, than when Zelda had seen him at _Romani's_. Link turned to give Sheik a raised brow to see what was taking him so long, his azure eyes were calming from what Zelda could only guess was laughter.

Zelda blinked several times, trying to process the image of her substitute teacher wearing street clothes and having a stunning lack of wire-rimmed glasses. It was one thing to see Rauru or Mr. Tridu outside of school and in jeans, but with Link… Something about it was way different, something in Zelda squirmed as testament to it. Though she really couldn't place why…_ He really is a regular person…_

She felt a nudge against her upper arm as Midna jerked her head towards Link while giving the Hylian girl a meaningful look. When Zelda didn't budge, Midna hissed, "Go!"

"Hey, Link! Why don't you let her play against you? Aryll can't play and Sheik's been hogging the controller all this time!" Midna said to the blond Hylian as she guided Zelda to where he was sitting, cross-legged on the floor.

"Sure," Link said, not really looking up.

Midna gave Zelda a nod before retreating to join in Aryll and Sheik's fight.

"What the-? Hey!" Sheik exclaimed, suddenly noticing that his spot had been taken. "Why did she-?"

"Sheik, listen!" Aryll hissed as Midna grabbed the Sheikah and forced him back to where Aryll was sitting.

"What?" he asked, annoyed. "This is a _guy_ hang out day. You got Link all last weekend!"

Aryll racked her brain for any excuse that could get the red-eyed male to back away from his best friend, only to come up empty handed. Midna, however, had a dangerously mischievous glint "Sheik, this could wind Link up on a date."

The said guy paused as the information processed. He stopped struggling and looked between the two girls before speaking. "I'm listening…"

Midna grinned. "You see, Aryll and I invited our friend Zelda over there to come and become friends with Link. But, if things work out _really_ well, then you might be able to convince Link to go on a date. Possibly with anybody. This one experience might help him to loosen up enough for it…"

Aryll looked at her friend as if she had just lost her mind. _This is not to condemn Link to going on dates, Midna! What the heck are you doing?_

"Fine," Sheik said after a moment's pause. "What can I do to help?"

Aryll's eyes widened as she looked between her worst enemy and her friend. Midna was a flipping genius. She wrote a mental note to tell her that later.

Midna grinned. "Just keep him acting like himself and let Zelda work her magic."

The plotting trio turned their gaze to the blond couple as they were duking it out. Zelda gave a squeak and pressed buttons madly as Link executed an advanced combo.

The problem had just become an asset.

**... **

_WINNER: Player 2!_

"I won? I won!" Zelda exclaimed, looking surprised before breaking out into laughter. "I won!" she repeated incredulously.

"Nice!" Link finally said with a laugh as he gave Zelda a high five.

Zelda laughed. A sudden surge flew through her body and, before Zelda could stop herself or even realize what had happened, she had launched herself forwards.

"Link! You lost to a girl!" Sheik exclaimed, laughing and pushing his best friend's head towards the floor. "How could you? I was supposed to beat you first!"

"And what does _that_ have to say about your 'manliness level' Sheik?" Aryll asked from her position on the couch. "You lost to Link, who lost to a girl!"

"I didn't lose! _He_ did!" Sheik exclaimed, turning his attention back to Aryll as he pointed at Link." Midna laughed as the two of them bickered some more.

Link, however had gone silent. "Uh… M-Miss Hykarin…?"  
>Zelda's eyes flew open and she turned a deep shade of crimson as she realized what was happening: she had hugged him. She backed away suddenly. What in the world possessed her to do <em>that<em>? "Uh… Eh… I… Yes?" she asked innocently.

"Congrats," the statement was more of a question really, but Zelda still smiled at him nervously.

"Th-thanks."

The blond Hylian then stood, muttered something about reading and headed towards the bookshelf across the room.

Zelda sat on the floor, slightly relieved to have him leave her with a moment's peace. _What just happened?_

"What happened?" Midna's voice asked, suddenly materializing by Zelda's ear. "How'd it go?"

Zelda's face deepened in color. "Uh… Nothing…"

Midna frowned. "Great. It got awkward didn't it?"

Zelda paused before nodding. "Yeah, I… I got a little overzealous and… kinda hugged him?"

A pause. "Yep, that'd do it. You didn't kiss him or grab his hand or something, did you?" Midna asked with a mischievous grin.

"What? No!"

Midna raised an eyebrow. "Oh, wait a just a minute… Do you…?"

"No, I don't like him!" Zelda hissed silently.

"Okay, okay. Don't bite my head off, Zel. Hm… We're going to have to try something different, though…"

"I'm back!" an elderly voice suddenly announced as the door opened and closed. "I dropped Colin off at Luda's house, set Lily down for a nap and even went grocery shopping! I am so good!"

"Grandma!" Aryll greeted from her spot on the couch. "Welcome home!"

Pearl smiled at her granddaughter and came over to give her a pat on the head. "Sorry that took so long, are you feeling any better?"

Aryll nodded vigorously. "Yeah, I've even got Zelda here to help keep me company."

"Well, isn't that nice. I'd better go start dinner for everyone then!" The elderly woman began working her way towards the kitchen, much to everyone's alarm.

"Hey, why don't you let me do it tonight?" Link offered as he dashed across the room. "I told Aryll that'd make my secret recipe soup for her tonight."

"Oh?" Pearl asked. "Are you sure? You know, you could just give me the recipe and I could make it."

"Oh, don't worry about it! I've been dying to get back into that kitchen." Link said nervously as he began taking the shopping bags from her.

"Yeah! I love that soup!" Sheik said enthusiastically. "You go make it!"

"Yes! Link's soup!" Midna said, her face looking panicked as she forced her voice to sound a little overly excited.

"Oh, alright. But why do you always want soup whenever I offer to cook? I just learned a new recipe from my health cooking club the other day…"

Midna retreated to stand behind the couch as if distancing herself from Pearl would help the horrible idea go away.

Aryll blanched as she remembered a few days back when her Grandmother had made Chu Jelly sandwiches and shuddered. _Not again…_ she mentally pleaded. Her eyes suddenly brightened. "Hey! Link!" Aryll said suddenly. Zelda glanced at her friend and instantly got the impression that her friend had just gotten a bright idea. But why did she feel so nervous then?

"What?" Link called from the kitchen as he set down the groceries.

"Why don't you have somebody help you? I mean, there are a lot of people here, so…"

Link re-entered the room with a cocked eyebrow. "It's okay, Aryll… I can handle it…"

"Really, you should," Aryll said. "Besides, I'm starving and the sooner we can eat the better!" she gave Zelda a quick, discreet look from the corner of her eye.

"Okay," Link consented slowly. "Sheik?" he asked, turning to his best friend, who had decided to sit down and play video games with the orange-haired Twili while he wasn't looking.

"Link," Sheik said, taking a brief moment to point at the Twili sitting next to him. "Kicking girl butt!"

"Getting butt kicked by girl!" Midna yelled in response. "EAT DIRT, SUCKER!"

"Okay, um…"

Aryll gave Zelda another prodding look. "Uh! I'd love to help if you wouldn't mind," Zelda suddenly spoke up.

Link looked at her, hesitantly. "Miss Hykarin, you are a guest here. It really wouldn't be right to make you…"

"She's offering, Link. Would you really like me to help you?" Aryll asked, holding up her bandaged arms.

He shook his head before turning back Zelda. "Are you sure?"

Zelda nodded, smiling as she did so. "Of course! I've always wanted to try cooking, but my parents won't let me work in the kitchen all that often. So I'd really appreciate it if I could work with you."

"Okay. Let's get started then," Link conceded with a sigh and headed into the kitchen.

Aryll gave Zelda a thumbs up. "You got this," she mouthed.

Zelda nodded and followed after the blond Hylian. _Here goes nothing…_ she thought.

After Zelda and Link had left the room, Grandma Alavryn looked at Aryll with a pout on her lips. "Alright. What game is going on here that I'm not in on?"

"What game?" Aryll asked innocently.

"The one that you're marionette-ing with Link and Zelda."

Aryll gave a nervous glance to Sheik and Midna, who had paused their game and were looking reprehensibly between Aryll and her grandmother.

"Because I want in," the elderly woman finished, a wide grin spreading across her face. "I haven't had this much fun for a while now."

The trio smiled, relieved that they weren't going to be ratted out. Aryll spoke, "We're trying to get Zelda to know Link better."

Pearl grinned, looking a little like Midna as she rubbed her hands together. "Well, why didn't you just say so? This is my specialty."

…

Zelda was standing quietly behind Link as he filled the metal pot with water. _What am I suppose to say? Aryll… I'm not so sure this was such a good idea…_

"Okay," Link said, placing the water-filled pot on the stove. "Would you be okay with helping me cut some vegetables or do you not like knives?"

"Oh! I don't mind," Zelda said, trying for a smile.

Link nodded and pulled out two cutting boards from a cupboard near the sink and two knives from a wooden knife holder on the counter behind him.

Zelda accepted her things, along with the vegetables and got to work chopping up carrots.

Link set up his own station a few feet away and grabbed a few potatoes that he had rinsed earlier and began dicing. Zelda's eyes widened as she watched Link's knife fly with incredible ease around the brown vegi. Within a few seconds, Link was dumping the perfectly diced potato into the pot and grabbing another one.

The poor things didn't stand a chance.

"Wow, you're really good." Zelda said after finally finding her voice.

Link shrugged. "I've had a lot of practice."

"It shows," Zelda said as she turned back to cutting the easier vegi at a much slower pace. What could she say? "Oh! And I never got to thank you for the special order I made at _Romani's_. It was great. Thanks for getting the cook to make that."

Link finally glanced her way and gave a small, shy smile. "You really liked it?"

"Yeah! I've never had anything like Cuccoo Fettuccine before."

"That's good. I'm glad to hear that it didn't taste too bad. I thought the basil might've been a little much, but…"

Zelda's eyes widened. "_You_ made that?"

"Yeah. I make all the special orders," Link said with a smile and a shrug. "It's fun for me, so I'm just glad they let me do it at all."

"Wow. Aryll said that you cooked the meals around the house, but… Wow. Did you study that in college?"

"No, it's just something I learned from my mom when I was a kid and… Well, in later years I was the only one who really could cook, between Aryll and myself, I mean."

"Oh," Zelda tried to sound nonchalant, but she realized that she had unwittingly brought up a painful subject. The two fell silent as both resumed chopping their respective foods.

At that moment, Grandma Alavryn decided to intervene. "Oh, I remember when my son and his wife were working in the kitchen together. They were dating at the time too!"

The knife Link had been using slipped through his hands and clattered onto the granite countertop. "Grandma!"

"What?" Pearl asked innocently. She had only been stating the truth.

Link shoved his thumb into his mouth as he exclaimed, "She's not my girlfriend!"

"She's not? Well, she should be." Grandma Alavryn then turned to Zelda and said with a serious tone, "You'd better snag him quick, Zellie. After all, my grandson is quite a catch! He has girls giving him their phone numbers every day!"

"Grandma!" Link groaned as his face turned a light shade of pink. Why in the world was she bringing up all of this stuff all of a sudden?

"What? It's true! They're on the bills, napkins and-Oh! Remember that one time with the order…?"

"Don't remind me," Link groaned.

"What happened…?" Zelda asked tentatively.

"Oh! It is quite the tale. You see, he was taking orders at _Romani's_ and, this girl insisted on writing the order herself, but instead doing that she wrote her phone number!" The Grandma let off a long string of laughter.

Link groaned as he returned to peeling potatoes, "Grandma…"

"Oh. When did that happen?" Zelda asked with a small smile. Even though Link obviously didn't enjoy the stories, it was the most Zelda had ever heard about him since he first came to substitute for Farore.

"Two years ago!" Grandma said proudly and with a slight chuckle as she reminisced.

"Oh," Zelda said as she finally turned her attention to the thoroughly humiliated. "So you were twenty-five?"

"Twenty-five…?" Grandma Alavryn started slowly. Link shook his head silently behind Zelda's back. "Oh. Has it really been that long? It seems like only yesterday that Link was five and running around in nothing but a towel as he tried to escape his mother and the bath!" She said this as if it was some sort of magnificent sailor's tale.

Link a deep shade of crimson. "Grandma…" his tone had dropped into a more pleading state by this point.

Zelda tried to hide her smile and her laugh. "Yeah?"

"Yes! But my favorite time was when you broke Link's arm! You were only five at the time, but you were trying to prove to the other boys that you were a little toughie, so you climbed way up high in the tree and… then you fell. Luckily you fell on Link and broke his arm!"

"Luckily…?" Zelda asked slowly, her face turning a little green at the thought that she had broken her substitute's arm as a child.

"Yes! Did you know that he used to be right handed? You fixed that!" Grandma said happily as she chortled.

Zelda paled as she edged away from Link. She did what now?

Ignoring Zelda's new found discomfort, Pearl turned to her grandson with a serious tone in her voice. "And now Link will remedy what should have happened three years ago! Now, Link, listen to me and listen close."

"Okay, Grandma," Link muttered, deciding to humor her. What could she possibly tell him to do?

"Here is what you do: You take her hands, look deeply into her eyes, confess your undying love for her and then kiss her senseless!" Clearly, this was the only option.

The knife Link had been using suddenly slipped through his fingers at his grandmother's unprecedented idea, thus slicing his right hand. He grunted as he shoved his bleeding thumb into his mouth, while simultaneously giving Pearl a bewildered look.

Zelda's mind blanked as all the blood rushed to her cheeks. Hold his hands…? Look at him deeply… Confess undying love? KISS HIM? _Wait! No! No kissing necessary! I get senseless just looking at him! … Wow. Did I really just think that?_

"WHAT?" came Midna's voice as the said Twili launched herself around the corner. "Wait-wait-wait-wait… What's going on here? Who loves who? _Who's_ kissing _who_?"

Aryll came flying after her. "I didn't approve this motion!"

"I didn't even suggest this motion!" Sheik yelled, jumping over the counter half wall into the kitchen. "And I'm usually the culprit to cause awkward situations."

"Yes, you are," Aryll said, keeping her eyes glued onto the trio in front of her with pure confusion in her eyes.

"Nobody's kissing!" Link exclaimed around his thumb.

"He's in denial!" Grandma shrieked. "Listen to me, Link! You must do it! For the sake of my five great-grandchildren!"

Link blanched. Midna stared. Aryll blinked. And Zelda wanted to be struck by lightning. Grandma Alavryn, on the other hand looked as if she would not be deterred from releasing the last orders she had given her grandson.

The door leading down into the basement suddenly opened as Fado walked through. He opened his mouth to speak, took one look around, thought better of it and quickly returned the way he had come.

Silence.

"… Well this is awkward…" Midna said slowly. Suddenly, she threw her arm into the air and announced, "Back to video games! Come on, Sheik! It's time for Aryll to kick your butt!"

"Yeah!" Aryll shouted as she turned and ran back into the adjoining room.

"Uh-uh! There is going to be serious butt kickage, but it will not be mine!" Sheik yelled running after them.

"Oh, no you don't! First you must come to understand the true meaning of the word ninja! Prepare yourselves!" Grandma Alavryn shouted as she hobbled after the kids, who laughed at her enthusiasm.

Midna gave a quick thumbs up to Zelda, who groaned at her retreating figure. And even with her encouragements, Zelda had a hard time speaking to Link, who was acting as if nothing had happened, but Zelda couldn't let the comments go so easily. She grabbed plates and set the table and helped Link cut up vegetables. He would say a few comments here and there, but Zelda would only respond with a silent nod.

_What am I supposed to do? Midna… Help!_

…

"NO! The batteries died! How am I supposed to finish kicking your butt if I can't move?" Sheik demanded.

"Too bad!" Aryll laughed as she continued to maliciously attacked the immobile opponent.

"But it isn't as fun to watch you guys if you just hand his butt to him without giving him a chance to fight back… Even though he'll lose anyway." Midna grinned mischievously.

Aryll sighed. "Fine…" She slowly pressed the pause button.

"Batteries…" Sheik growled as he got up and began to dig around in the sofa's cushions.

Midna's eyes suddenly brightened. "Oh! I think I know where some are!"

"Well, go get them! I'm getting Sheik pounding withdrawal!" Aryll said impatiently.

"Wow. This early?" Midna asked.

"Yes!"

"Okay! Okay!" Midna laughed as she bounded up the stairs. After passing a few doors, she shoved the destination's entrance open and instantly walked over to Link's desk, choosing to maneuver around piles of random things. She grinned as she spotted them and quickly snatched them off the table. However, the stack of papers she had reached over were hit in the process and caused a mini-avalanche in Link's room.

Midna growled as she quickly bent over and cleaned up the mess. Link would kill her if he discovered that she had gone in there without permission. He would be so… Her thoughts came to a slow halt as she recognized the Academy's red symbol stamped on a white envelope. _What would this be doing here…?_

She glanced around before extracting the letter and reading it briefly. A few sentences in, she brought it closer to her face, her eyes widening. She put it down suddenly, the corners of her mouth pulled down before vaulting herself out of Link's room, the batteries completely forgotten.

…

Zelda was relieved when Link suggested leaving the pot to boil on its own for a little while. The instant he had told her, she had run to the couch were Aryll was laying.

She suddenly brightened. Aryll asked, "How's it going?"

Zelda shook her head. "Well, he seems fine, but… I don't know what to say to him after what your Grandma said."

Aryll slapped her forehead. "Grandma…" she muttered, sounding a lot like her brother. "Just breathe, Zel. If Link is trying to shrug it off, then that's way better than what would probably happen on a normal day. He's probably trying to be on friendly terms with you too."

Zelda nodded grimly as her mind dimly tuned in to what Link and Sheik were doing.

"Hey, why'd you guys stop playing?" asked Link, perplexed.

"Batteries died," Sheik muttered as he tapped his fingers against the plastic controller. "Midna went to get some more batteries."

"LINK!" the said Twili screamed as she jumped down the last few steps.

"There she is," Aryll said, brightening up.

"Thanks, Midna! Now we can-" Sheik didn't get to finish his sentence as the Twili walked up to Link, moisture crowding the corners of her eyes.

"Midna, what's up?" Link asked, his brows knitting together as he noticed the look she was giving him.

Midna shook her head slowly, biting her lip as the paper slowly crumpled in her hand. She swallowed harshly, her tight throat betraying her angry actions. She looked to the ground as she muttered, "What did I do to deserve living with you and Aryll?

"What?" Link asked, confused and slightly taken aback.

"I'm not stupid, Link! Why didn't you tell me that the school fined you _8,000_ rupees for the damage I did to the gym?"

The room went quiet. All eyes widened with the exception of Midna, who was fuming, and Link, who seemed abnormally calm.

"It isn't a big deal, Mid…" Link started quietly.

"Not a big deal? _Not a big deal?_ Uh, yeah! It is too a big deal! 8,000 rupees, Link! That's a big deal! Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I knew you would've gotten angry and that you wouldn't still be living here if I did!" Link said, trying to restrain his tone. "And we're practically family now, Mid. That means that I'll find a way to take care of it. And I have, so don't worry about it. I'll be able to make the deadline. Problem solved."

Midna shook her head. "Problem solved?" she asked incredulously. She sighed. Even in her angered state, Midna knew there was no arguing with Link once he had made up his mind. "Well… I'm going to pay you back."

"Just get a scholarship for college and we can call it even," Link said, shaking his head.

Midna shook her head again, firmer this time. "No, Link. I'm going to get a job and pay you back as soon as I can. And you can't argue with me on this!"

"Where are you supposed to work, Midna?"

The Twili threw her arms into the air. "I don't know! But I'll find… _something_!"

Zelda, who had been watching the argument in both surprise and dismay, suddenly spoke up. "I think the place where I work has a spot open! And they're opening a Twili section, so maybe… maybe you could apply there."

Midna nodded and jabbed a thumb at Zelda. "I'll work with Zelda."

Aryll looked up at her friend, confused. "You have a job?" she whispered.

Zelda nodded. "Yes. I've been working for a family friend for a couple years. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I gave a suggestion on who to hire. I'll give her a call when I get home tonight."

Midna nodded again. "I'm going to pay you back, Linky boy. Whether you like it or not."

Link looked between her and Zelda before sighing. "Are you sure you can handle school on top of that?"

Midna grinned. "If you could handle it, then I can handle it better. I'll even help out around the house. I have to earn my position as an unofficial Alavryn in this place."

"Fine," Link consented. "Just… Just know your limits, okay?"

Midna laughed. "Yeah, yeah. Thanks, Mr. Mom."

Link gave her an Oh-Really look. "That's Link to you. Or no Twili lunches."

Midna pouted playfully. "Aww! You meanie."

Link rolled his eyes and laughed at Midna's childish behavior. "Okay, okay, but…" he stopped, his nose raising to the air. His eyes widened as he suddenly turned and ran back into the kitchen exclaiming, "I FORGOT THE SOUP!"

The remaining trio laughed. Aryll gave Zelda a slight push towards him and gave her friend an encouraging nod.

Zelda returned it and took off after him.

"Alright! Now that Midna's temper tantrum is over, I can kick Aryll's butt!" Sheik yelled, pumping his fist into the air.

"Oh, no you don't!" Aryll exclaimed, unpausing the game.

"Oh! I forgot the batteries!" Midna exclaimed, slapping her forehead and then running up the stairs to grab them.

"Hurry, Midna! My digital life depends on it!"

Zelda laughed before entering the kitchen. This house was definitely lively.

…

Once again, Link and Zelda were left alone in the kitchen with nothing more than a bubbling stew brewing on the stove. Dinner never seemed so far away.

Link turned back to his work, shaking his head and chopping the vegetables at incredible speeds and throwing into the soup, which was beginning to give off a nice aroma.

They were silent for a few minutes before Zelda timidly spoke, "Your grandma seems like an interesting person…"

"I guess," Link answered evenly.

Zelda paused. "It must be nice to have her around." Link paused in what he was doing and turned to face her slowly. She continued, "I lost my grandmother when I was very little. I didn't know her very well, but my mom always tells me that she would rock my to sleep whenever I'd wake up crying in the middle of the night. I was actually given her name."

"Grandma Zelda, huh?" Link asked quietly.

Zelda smiled and gave a small laugh. "Yeah. Apparently she was a really strong woman, kind too and always had this certain kind of air about her."

"A lot like you then, huh?"

Zelda turned a bright shade of pink as she turned to face him. "W-what? Not at all!"

Link smiled. "That's not what I hear. With the way that you talk about your grandma and with the way that Aryll talks about you… I've never met your grandmother either, but… I think it's safe to say, by your description, that you are a lot like her. Don't doubt it."

"Because I'm a Zelda type?" Zelda asked with a shy, joking smile.

Link grinned. "Yes. Exactly!" He reached his hand over and ruffled her hair playfully before turning back to throw everything into the pot that he had gotten out earlier.

It was that smile again… Zelda felt her face heat as she reached up and smoothed her hair out. _Friends… Just friends…_ Zelda reminded herself as her heart pounded against her rib cage. An image—old and foggy—flashed briefly across her mind before hiding itself again. Zelda frowned as she tried to recall it, but it was already gone.

"Do you think you can hand me the pepper?" Link asked as he peered inside the pot.

Zelda nodded and quickly obliged. "Um… Where is it?"

"In… that cabinet," Link responded, pointing her in the right direction. Zelda nodded and quickly set off again. She returned shortly and watched as Link dashed the black and grey flecks into their concoction.

Zelda couldn't help but smile. Link was the nicest guy she had ever met, or the nicest to her anyways, she was sure there were plenty more out there, but… Link was just something else. Though stubborn, he always seemed to be waiting to help those in need. Today had really been…

"You wanna taste it?" Link asked, breaking into her thoughts.

"Huh?" Zelda asked, snapping out of her thoughts.

Link laughed a little. "Do you want to taste the soup?"

Zelda turned a little pink. "Yeah. I'd love to."

He grinned as he dipped a spoon in and then held it out for her to sample. Zelda bent forward slightly and let Link slip the spoon into her mouth. "It's perfect!"

Just like today had been…

"Really?" Link asked, tilting his head.

Zelda nodded. "Of course! Everything you make is bound to be good."

Link turned a light shade of pink at her compliment. Or was it just Zelda's imagination? "Well, thanks." He quickly grabbed another spoon and took a sample. "Wow. I think this is better than the other times I've made it… Maybe Grandma's right and it just needed a woman's touch."

Zelda turned bright red. "Oh, I really didn't do much."

"Of course you did! Maybe you should help me out more often," he said this with a grin before turning back to turn off the stove.

_Yes,_ Zelda thought. _We really should._

…

"You should really start dating her, Link." Grandma pressed several minutes after Zelda had left. She was currently leaning against the counter, trying to get Link's attention—he had begun peeling vegetables for tomorrow's dinner. Midna and Aryll were scrounging around for things to stick in their lunch while Sheik was poking his nose into any nook and cranny in hopes of a quick snack. Regardless of their current activities, they still had an ear in the conversation that was about to commence.

"Oh, really?" Link paused before returning to peeling.

"Mm-hmm. After all, you were the one that said you were going to marry her."

The Alavryn household was filled with a grunt of pain as the knife made another jab at Link's hand and succeeding in hitting his palm.

Two female shrieks suddenly peeled through the Earth's atmosphere. "WHAT THE-?"

While an even louder, male voice exclaimed, "I KNEW IT!"

* * *

><p><strong>WhiteXIII:<strong> Doo-da-dooo! What'd you guys think? Dying of fluff yet or was it good? MangaMaid! Come baaaack! *Sniffle* Anyways, seriously, I'd love to know what you guys though. Thanks for taking the time to read this!

**Review Responses:**

_SheComeInRainofFire:_ It's not so much wet-noodlish than it is insecurity. Her friends just insulted her without meaning to. She was basically pointed out that she is plain so she's not feeling to great about her self-esteem. Does that make sense? Exciting in all caps? That's good. XP I'm glad that you enjoyed it so much!

_anonomyous:_ Okay! XP So besides the need for another update, what did you think? What was your favorite part? Was it fluff? Or something a character said?

_Katie:_ :) Yes I did. ^^ Thanks for reviewing. I'm glad last chapter was another enjoyable read for you.

_Cheerio: _You danced? ^/^ Wow, I'm really happy to hear you say that. Thanks! Haha. Zelda beat them up? I'm not so sure how well that'd work out, but everyone would get in serious trouble for sure. XP Sleeping is good. And, hey, I wouldn't normally read fanfics through math, but if there was an option to… We'd be in the same boat. ^^' Anyways, thanks for your support!

_anon1:_ HAHAHA! I'll admit that I was super confused when I first read your review. My thoughts: "I don't remember writing that…" And then I laughed when I realized that was your thoughts on what I had written. XP I haven't read those books yet, but I've heard a lot of good things about them. Thanks for the laugh!

_wolf-mimi:_ Thanks! I hope this next chapter was worth the wait, though. :)

_anon2:_ :) I'm glad that you like it. And I hate brainblocks. ~

_the ocarina oracle:_ Haha. That's good. I do plan on finishing it so I hope it comes to its end nicely. :)

_THISISSPARTAAAAAAAA: _Thanks, but there are other stories that are better than mine. Authors work really hard to produce the writing that they do and everyone does it differently. I appreciate your sentiments, I really do, it's just that I've read other works that are better written than mine. Thanks for your support, though!

**ChaoticFlower15:** I'm glad you liked it! It's always interesting for me to hear how people came across this thing, I don't hear it very often, so it made me very happy to hear it from you. :) I hope you enjoyed this last chapter and I hope to hear from you again!

**Character**** Index:**

None. Getting used to it...

REVIEW!


	13. Chapter 12

**WhiteXIII****:** I hate this chapter! Okay, first off, sorry for being so late. School + brain blocks = DEATH! I couldn't write FOREVER! But, it's summer! YAY! Which means...

**MangaMaid4545:** More updates from you?

**XIII:** That's the idea... *looks* MANGAMAID! You're alive! *glomp*

**MangaMaid****:** Oof! I never died...

**XIII:** But you were kidnapped... I had to save you.

**MangaMaid:** I wasn't kidnapped. I got my hair dyed.

**XIII:** Your hair was killed?

**MangaMaid:** No, colored.

**XIII****:** Oh... I knew that. Anyways, everything came together for this chapter! ... Eventually... I hope it was worth the wait.

Also, THANKS TO: Tabbycat270, , SupernalGodzilla, Veils of Silver Myst, Cerberuswolf, James Fischer, Cheerio, The Supreme, Astra'shadow, InTheYearOfTheCat, star, THISISSPARTAAAAAAAA , Sapphiet, Miss Ashlynn, HeroofTwilightsgf, Link is my poison, anonomyous, Joseph Kuo, ShadowMario3, AyuTsukasa, SuperSmashGirlBB, Mapplesong, Captain Germany, dorkyreader859, Akita DEVIL-OF-LOVE, The Trumanator, Eternal Nocturne, ephad, chupacabrabeliever18, Kaostryker, Screen, Lost In Dreams19, XandyPants, Resha Tsubaki, CaptainQuirk1701, the giggle bug, ingezijp04, AbbyPotter-Black7, SarcasticMustache, OmniTale, whosahassa, Jazzmatazz2000, Emperor of Skyloft, Random asian guy, MistsOfSodor, LZfanatic12, AsoenixKristian, TheShadowEclipse, kady3842, PaladinXLR, blahblahblaj, Cheeser42, ChaoticFlower15, GameCivilization, nikomoon2, ZaraLink, EternalNight1212 and AiKisu FOR EVERYTHING!

ENJOY!

* * *

><p>Chapter 12<p>

_**Day: Thursday**_

"I mean, honestly, everything's so clear now!" Sheik exclaimed with a chuckle. "All your odd habits, your aversion to dating…"

"Sheik," Link growled, grinding his teeth. "Drop it." It was decided. Yesterday was the worst day of his life. However, this day was a close second… or maybe third. It was hard to tell with his best friend chewing his ear off about what his grandmother had said the other day. And with the additional bonus of Link's car breaking down halfway to school today… He should've figured it was bad news when the car started spluttering, making funny noises and obnoxious jerking motions, but it was really the smoke coming out the front that should've proved the point... _Curse the alarm for not waking me…_ Link thought bitterly as he recalled the conversation that had followed shortly after his car had given up the ghost.

_"Hey, Sheik, are you doing anything right now?" Link asked as he surveyed the tow truck hooking his battered tan car up to his hook._

_ The Sheikah on the other side of the line grunted as he mumbled, "Seeing as how you just woke me up… No. Why?"_

_ "Uh… Can you… come get me?" Link finally forced himself to ask as he signed a piece of paper that was shoved in front of his face._

_ Sheik laughed. "Wow. You're actually asking for help today? Did you have a bit of Link Luck?"_

_ "Maybe…" Link muttered, wanting desperately to crawl into a deep, dark hole where Sheik didn't have to know his car had broken down… again._

_ Sheik chuckled again. "Okay, I'll see you in five."_

That was mistake number one in Link's day and now he was paying for it. Dearly. Luckily Aryll and Midna had decided to get a ride from Zelda that morning—for reasons well beyond him, but he considered them lucky at this point.

"It's only logical that you won't date, I mean, you're already engaged!"

"I was a kid!" Link exclaimed, his ears turning pink in humiliation.

"But you remember it!" Sheik pointed out victoriously.

Link scowled. "Because Grandma reminded me _yesterday_! Besides, how do _you_ remember it?"

Sheik shrugged. "Your grandmother—but that's beside the point!" he added as Link gave him a _you've got to be kidding me_ look. "You told your parents that you'd marry her!"

"I was a kid," Link repeated adamantly. "It doesn't count; besides, I thought that getting married meant… Okay, I don't remember what I thought it meant then, but… It still doesn't count! It was arranged by my parents anyway! And jokingly at that!"

"But don't you make a point of keeping your promises?" Sheik asked slyly, raising his eyebrows and glancing at his friend from his peripherals as he smirked.

"Can it," Link grumbled as he glared out of the window on his side.

"Okay, okay, Mr. Touchy," Sheik grumbled in a pretend pout before finally dropping the matter which he had been pushing since the previous evening. Link hadn't been too happy about it, but Sheik had to find some way to entertain himself? "At least you didn't clam up when Pearl started talking about you and baths…"

"You were listening to that?" Link asked, his ears about ready to fall off with all the burning they were undergoing.

"How could I not?" Sheik laughed with a grin. "It was hilarious!"

"It was not!"

Sheik put his hands up defensively before proceeding around a left turn. "I'm just congratulating you that you didn't clam up. That's all."

"You said that if things got awkward with that, especially that subject… that I should just act like it didn't happen…" Link muttered as he glanced back out the window.

Sheik grinned. "And why is that?"

Link groaned. "You aren't going to make me say it, are you?" After seeing his friend's expectant face, Link continued in a monotonous voice as he looked at the ceiling, "_If someone brings up romance between you and a girl, pretend like it didn't happen or else she'll think you actually are interested._ There are you happy?"

"Impressive memory," Sheik commented simply. The corners of his mouth pressed up further in mild satisfaction. He knew that, someday, something was bound to get awkward and had the foresight to tell Link to shrug it off. That way a relationship could build. Sheik inwardly sighed in satisfaction. He knew his friend so well.

Link grunted something unintelligible before turning to face the landscape racing past them. The red-eyed man gave his friend some slack, for once, and drove in a comfortable silence for a while.

Sheik shifted slightly in his position as a question popped into his head. After a few moments of silence, Sheik finally asked, "Have you heard from the Aurea recently?"

"No. I thought that you would've had more information. You are a member…"

Sheik shook his head and gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. "I think they're trying to keep me out of the loop. You know how old fogies like to talk more to each other. I figure it's something kind of like that—think I'm too young…" Sheik was silent for a few moments before he quietly added, "Because of what happened to Rusl and Uli…"

Link cast his eyes down as images of Lily and Colin, their two young children, flashed across his mind. "Well, it's better to be safe than sorry…"

The Sheikah's mouth pressed into a firm line as he glared out the front window. "Have they asked you to do anything?"

"Besides substitute Farore's class?" Link asked, raising his brow in confusion.

Sheik growled slightly. "You know what I mean… Like the stuff they had you do the first time…"

The Hylian male paused for a moment before shaking his head. "No…"

Sheik's brow furrowed as he glanced at his best friend from the corners of his eyes. "You hesitated," he accused.

Link sighed, slightly exasperated. "I already told you that I'm keeping my eye on Ganondorf, Sheik. Remember? Nothing more."

Sheik sighed. "Sorry," he muttered as he stopped for a red light. "It's just frustrating that I don't hear a lot from them—they prefer talking to Impa—and I just want some answers. I can't do anybody any good if I don't know anything. There are some things I understand why only the head knows about, but… still."

"I'll be sure to let you know if I find anything out," Link said grimly. "And with the way things are going… with how impatient Ganondorf has become, you might be hearing news soon."

Sheik nodded, looking down at his lap in frustration. "Yeah… I just feel so useless…"

"Oh, come on, Sheik," Link said, thumping his friend on the shoulder. "Who else is supposed to chauffer me to work?"

Sheik laughed as he waved Link's arm off. "Oh, gee, thanks a lot. So now I'm Mr. Mom?"

"Mr. _Soccer_ _Mom_," Link corrected with a grin. "I'm Mr. Mom, remember?"

"Cuz my title's any better?" Sheik asked, laughing openly now. "Whatever, just get out of my car, _I_ need to go to work now."

Link grinned as he stepped out onto the school's pavement with his suitcase held in his dominant hand. "Ooh, I'm even going to be on time, you're the best Sheik!"

"Yeah, yeah," Sheik said with a chuckle. "Oh! Don't forget these!" Sheik said, spotting Link's glasses and tossing them towards him.

"Oh, right! I almost forgot," Link muttered as he fumbled to catch them.

Sheik laughed at his friend as he finally succeeded in putting them on his face and closing the door with his right forearm. Link gave his friend a two-fingered salute before jogging up towards the school's entrance. Sheik yelled after him through his half-rolled down window, "And you better win!"

…

Link felt a little guilty in lying to his best friend. But did protecting Zelda and now being the only one with pertinent information on Ganondorf's goal really count as "the old stuff"? It was a little different… and it was really only things that Daltus had asked Link to do as a father, and Link really couldn't blame the man. Every action he took held everything—his daughter's life, the lives of his co-workers, and the future—in a horribly fragile balance.

It wasn't like a member had approached him and asked him to…

"Link," a voice spoke, suddenly jolting the History sub from his reverie.

The said Hylian's head shot up as he turned to face who had spoken. "Impa," Link said lightly, though his brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you doing so far away from your office?"

The Sheikah woman opened her mouth to speak, but quickly halted as she took note of Link's bandaged hand. She shook her head as she glanced around the busy hallways before motioning for Link to follow.

Link raised a confused brow, but said nothing as he followed the silver-haired woman to her office. When they arrived, she went through the motions of checking over his hand. She spoke nothing of it. "Link," she started quietly as she finally set down his hand.

"Yeah?" Link asked, glancing at the door as he heard the bell ring, starting first period. He was going to be late to class.

"The Aurea have a job for you," Impa muttered covertly as Link turned back to face her.

Of all the days they could have chosen to make Link a liar to his best friend, they just_ had_ to pick the one when he had promised to speak up about it. The irony. Could Sheik just see the future or something?

"And what am I supposed to tell my classes?" Link asked as Impa finished going through the finer details of what he needed to accomplish.

"Your car broke down, you were attacked by a rabid dog, a bookshelf fell on you—anything but the truth."

Link gave Impa a look. "You know I'm a horrible liar, right?"

"I know you're a creative thinker," Impa corrected. She then stood, and returned to her normal morning activities as if nothing was going on. "The way is clear, you may proceed when you are ready."

Link sighed as he stood and headed for the exit. Correction: he was going to be really late for class.

…

Ganondorf growled in frustration as he rubbed his eyes for what seemed to be the twentieth time that morning. Who knew that one, stupid contraption could cause such a splitting headache? He clicked on another blue-colored line and opened up a new link. He scanned the new webpage he had opened before opening a search bar up and typing in his request.

_No results found._ The computer had the nerve to blare out that stupid sentence _again_?

The Gerudo Gym teacher fumed as he grabbed the computer's monitor, lifted it off its perch on his desk and was about to throw it, when he stopped and set it down after another moment's thought.

"Isn't there any easier way to do this?" he asked the computer pointlessly, its glassy screen staring lifelessly back at him. Mr. Dragmire scowled and shot a look toward a medium sized bush which resided in his office's corner. "You're not exactly helping," he grumbled at the plant's violet—almost black—flowers in annoyance.

He sighed before turning back to facing the useless piece of modern technology. "Is this really my only option?" After a few moments of silence, he huffed in defeat. "There has to be a faster way… But how am I supposed to get close enough?"

Suddenly, there was a knock at his door.

Ganondorf's head pounded angrily at the noise. "What is it?" he snapped. The bell rang for first period about five minutes ago and he didn't have a first period class, so who could possibly be bothering him at a time like this?

When the door didn't answer, but instead knocked again, Ganondorf got to his feet, stormed across his tiny entrance and wrenched the door open to find the frail little secretary woman from the office blinking fearfully at him.

"What is it?" he snapped again.

"This is your prep period, correct, Mr. Dragmire?" she asked quietly, but managing to look the man in the eye, despite her dwarfing size in comparison.

"Yes," Ganondorf seethed. Was he out running the stupid brats to oblivion? No! Did he even want to? Not today. Nothing could improve his mood.

The little woman cleared her throat nervously. "There is a teacher shortage today and one of the teachers needs a substitute…"

Ganondorf growled as he turned back to glance at his computer. So much for making headway on his little project… Stupid, Daltus, always sending the little, average minions to quell any headway. He sighed in defeat as he stepped out and shut the door. "Fine. Where are we headed?"

**PERIOD: 1. CLASS: History 101. ROOM: 317. SUBSTITUTE: Link Alavryn.**

"So, did you have fun yesterday?" Aryll asked Zelda as the bell rang, beginning first period.

"Linky boy not that scary anymore?" Midna questioned.

Zelda nodded, a slight smile playing at her lips. "Yeah, it was fun and… No, he actually seems pretty nice."

"Nice huh?" Midna asked with a slight grin.

"Yeah, he seems sorta out of it at times," Zelda said as she remembered her substitute running for the soup… Substitute… Zelda felt something inside of her sink. She wasn't totally sure why, she hardly knew the guy and was only trying to get to know him. For Aryll and Midna's sakes of course.

Midna laughed. "You have no idea."

"Speaking of which, where is he?" Aryll asked, glancing at her wristwatch. "He's ten minutes late and I know he's here today… Well, at least he should be…"

"Maybe your car broke down," Midna suggested with a shrug. "It is a piece of junk after all."

"Yeah, but… He would've called somebody if he was going to be late…" Aryll's mouth pulled itself into a worried frown, her brows creased together and she bit her lip as she glanced again at the time.

Seeing her discomfort, Zelda jumped in. "I'm sure he's fine, Aryll. Probably just lost track of time or something."

"Yeah. Hey! Maybe we can just have this class off for once! I mean, he's a sub, so who are they going to get to sub for the sub?"

At that very moment, the door opened. Heads turned as the students turned to face the figure in the doorway—the girls with bright smiles and the boys with mild disinterested eyes.

Zelda turned, the corners of her mouth pulling slightly up as she turned to face her newfound friend, however, it wasn't Link's pleasant smile that greeted them. She felt her stomach drop sickeningly as she recognized none other than Mr. Dragmire standing in the doorway, which was now swinging shut as the looming man entered the room and stormed his way to the front.

This couldn't be good…

"You just had to open your mouth, Midna," Aryll muttered.

…

_This is absolutely perfect,_ Ganondorf concluded as he entered Link's boring History classroom. He grinned internally as he made his grand entrance, eyeing everybody in class. His grin grew as he took note of goody-two-shoes Zelda sitting three rows from the front. He allowed for a small smile to escape to the surface of his exterior. Yes, this was absolutely perfect.

"Hello, class, sorry for the delay."

…

The three friends exchanged surprised and horrified glances. What in Hyrule was going on?

A hand suddenly hit the air. The trio turned to see a Zoran girl with her hand raised.

"Yes?" Ganondorf asked, pointing at the girl, obviously relishing in this newfound position of power.

"Excuse me, Mr. Dragmire, but where is Mr. Alavryn?" she asked, a slight pout forming on her lips.

A sea of heads turned from looking at her to their Gym teacher, all awaiting the answer. The said gym teacher shrugged and answered simply, "Mr. Alavryn had some… complications and couldn't make it today. I will be taking his place."

Midna, Aryll and Zelda exchanged worried glances. Did he do something to him?

"Now, let's begin class with a pop quiz!" Ganondorf said, rubbing his hands together. It was time. It was finally time. The class groaned, but were quickly silenced by his golden-eyed glare.

His eyes landed on Demetrius. "Bourghmyre, what is Farore's middle name?'

"What? She doesn't have a middle name!"

"You're wrong! Everything has a middle name!"

"What? But she-!"

"Don't you dare talk back to me, boy! You're going to the principal's office right this instance!"

"But I didn't do-!"

"NOOOOOOW!"

Demetrius' eyes widened as he rolled into a ball and Goron-rolled out of the door.

"Now… Aquatrius!"

"Sir!" Ryota half-yelled as he stood.

"Where was the last Temple of Time located in 1840?"

"We never covered that!" Ryota shot back indignantly.

"Detention!"

"But I just got a question wrong! I didn't do anything wrong to deserve a detention!"

"Would you like to join Bourghmyre?"

Ryota said nothing as he simply sunk back into his chair.

"Excellent. Avion!"

"Yes, sir!" a Rito girl squeaked.

"What is the natural tongue of magic?"

The girl's eyes lit up as she squeaked, "Ancient Hylian, sir…"

Ganondorf growled, disappointed. "Correct…" He then turned his sights towards Zelda. "Hykarin, _where is the Austiora?_"

Zelda blinked slowly a few times as her mind struggled to understand what her teacher had just demanded of her. Her mind began to fog as if the information was foreign to her. The what now?

Mr. Dragmire grounded his teeth as Zelda sat stock still, her brow furrowed in confusion. Unbeknownst to him, her right hand was glowing.

Zelda saw movement off her left side and a voice that spoke out in rage. _Aryll?_ Zelda wondered vaguely. However, her friend's voice was soon cut off as she said something about "forbidden." What was?

She cast her eyes around slowly, searching for her friend, but only finding the equally confused faces of her classmates.

"Hykarin," Dragmire said, snapping Zelda's attention back to the Gym teacher. Why was his voice the only thing that wasn't hazy?

…

Midna's red irises narrowed into slits as she began to rise from her seat, her magic beginning to quaver around in her in response to the dark atmosphere. However, she felt herself freeze as Ganondorf yelled something at her with a smirking grin.

The rest of the class shrunk back as they recognized the heavy atmosphere around them. Most were unaware as to what was happening, but even Takeo and Ryota could tell it wasn't good. Amira and Lila shuffled their feet nervously and glanced at each other as they attempted to restrain themselves from running to the nearest exit.

Midna struggled to move, her lips forming into a frown as she moved in vain. This couldn't be happening. Ganondorf wasn't that much of an idiot, was he?

…

Ganondorf returned his gaze to Zelda. "_I know you know. Where is the Austiora?_" Ganondorf repeated to Zelda dangerously as the rest of the class fell silent.

Everything finally became completely hazy, everything seemed to move in slow motion. _Austiora?_ Slowly but surely, Zelda's left hand rose slowly as she pointed to the back of the classroom.

Ganondorf grinned victoriously as he watched the gesture. Almost there…

"_Release!_" a strong voice suddenly called from the back of the classroom.

Zelda's arm fell limply to her side before she blinked slowly for a few minutes, the stupor around her vanishing.

Ganondorf growled as he turned to where a figure stood in the doorway, glaring fiercely at the man opposing him. "Oh, it's you, Alavryn," Ganondorf spat. Why did he have to come now of all times?

The class turned to face their normal sub, relief flooding their systems as the heavy atmosphere, which they couldn't quite seem to identify, dissipated.

The substitute gave a small grin. "I believe I can take my class from here. Thank you so much for subbing," the usual friendly light in Link's eyes vanished, though his grin remained in place as he said, "Here's the exit. Feel free to use it."

"Why of course," Ganondorf growled in fake courtesy as he began trekking through the rows of desks towards his nemesis. Link stepped through the doorway, allowing Ganondorf to step through. The two locked gazes in firm, challenging glares. However, Ganondorf soon broke it with a grunt and whisked his way down to his classroom.

After a few moments of silence, a flurry of questions broke loose. "Mr. Alavryn, where were you?" Ryota demanded.

"Why was Mr. Dragmire here?" a Goron boy asked.

"He was awful!" a Rito girl agreed.

Link put his hands up in slight defense, the light returning to his gaze as he attempted to calm his class. "Oh, my car broke down on the way to school today, that's why I'm late. Dragmire must've been the only teacher available to-"

Zelda shook her head, dispelling the last of the fog as she finally turned towards her substitute. She blinked a few times as her brain tried to translate what she was seeing.

Link's blond hair was still slicked back, with the exception of a few loose pieces, which hung in his eyes… right over a bandage… Zelda blinked a few more times before she realized the state of their sub: he was covered in dirt and bandages. His hands, which were usually covered with his fingerless leather gloves, had bandages in place of where the leather should have been. A few Band-Aids were set on his jaw and, Zelda noticed with surprise and a sense of nervousness, the white bandage that lay under a few strings of dirty hair, right above his left eye.

"Mr. Alavryn… What happened?" Zelda asked slowly.

Everything went quiet as the students looked between Zelda and their sub. Their eyes widened as sudden realization hit them. The chaos that had burst before was nothing in comparison to this explosion.

"WHAT?" various people in the class exclaimed as they surged towards their teacher.

"What happened?"

"Why are you covered in dirt?"

"Why do you have so many bandages?"

Link waved his hands in front of them desperately. "I'm fine!" he insisted. "I just… was attacked by a dog this morning after my car broke down and…"

"You were attacked by a dog?" a girl shrieked, looking as if she was going to pass out.

Link internally groaned. _Impa… your lies aren't working and I'm not good at this! _"Yes, but I've been to see the nurse since I've been here and she agrees that I am fine. No need to worry!"

"No need to worry? What if it had _rabies_?" the girl from before shrieked.

"You could die!" a boy added, sounding somewhat hopeful, though it went unnoticed for the most part.

"Maybe you should go back to Impa's or the class is gonna have a hissy fit," Midna said, chuckling slightly at the sub.

He frowned at her comment before letting out a small sigh and agreeing. Link weaved his way through several of the students to the front of the room where the school phone sat on his desk. Picking up the receiver, he dialed a few numbers and waited. After a five second conversation he hung up and headed towards the door. "Okay, guys. Mr. Lucem will be down here shortly to take my place. So don't throw any wild parties while I'm gone."

The students nearby nodded and turned to their seats as the door opened. "Good morning," Mr. Rauru Lucem greeted as he entered the room. He raised a white eyebrow as his gaze snagged on Link's current state before continuing towards the front of the room. "Now, who wants to discuss the wonders of Historical architecture?"

Midna groaned as Link slipped out the door. "Why do we always get the crazy subs?" she asked quietly.

…

Link avoided the nurse's office. He had been there after completing his assignment when a student who had passed by his classroom had alerted Impa and himself as to what was going on in there. Link had left in such a rush that, if he returned, Impa would have him sitting in there for the rest of the day saying that he "needed to rest" or something like that. As far as Link could tell, none of his injuries were serious, just annoying and a little painful. He had definitely experienced worse on more difficult assignments.

No nurse's office for him. No, he had another issue to address. Something much more important.

His heart pounded slightly as he rounded the corner and made a beeline for his target: the office. Link made a quick rapping noise on the inner door before entering, not even taking the time to wait for an invitation.

Principal Daltus Hykarin looked up at the substitute with surprise shining in his eyes. "Yes, that will be all… Thank you." He ended the call on his cell phone before turning to voice his question. "Mr. Alavryn, what in Nayru's name are you doing here?"

"Principal Hykarin, Ganondorf…" Link paused, glancing around the room for a moment before continuing. "Ganondorf is after the _Austiora. _Again. Just as we had feared. But that's not even the worst part…"

…

Zelda groaned, her head rolling forward slightly. What had happened exactly? How long had Mr. Lucem been teaching? Her head gave another panging sensation in complaint against her thought processes trying to function.

"You okay, Zel?" Aryll muttered.

The violet-eyed girl shook her head.

Midna and Aryll exchanged concerned glances before Midna raised her hand and announced, "Rauru, can Aryll and I take Zelda to the nurse? She's not feeling well."

Rauru smiled kindly and nodded.

…

"Hm… Here is some pain killer, that should bring down the headache… Now you can rest for a moment and we'll see how you feel in a few minutes."

"Thanks, Impa," Zelda muttered as she downed the pills.

The Sheikah nurse nodded as she turned away. She gave Midna and Aryll a small smile and nod before passing into the back room. "Perhaps it would be best to give her a few moments," she said quietly before entering.

"We'll be back to get you after class ends, Zel." Aryll said, waving to her friend who had laid down to rest.

The two girls nodded to Impa and stepped out of the room with no complaint. Midna's eyes suddenly narrowed as she began marching down the hallways.

"Um… Mid, class is the other direction," Aryll said, pointing.

The Twili shook her head. "I'm not going to class. There is a certain somebody who is not doing their job."

Aryll jogged to catch up with her friend. "What?"

Midna kept her gaze set in front of her. "I'm going to the principal's office."

The Hylian female raised a surprised brow, before growing serious and following after Midna's attitude. They were going to settle things one way or another.

…

Daltus paled slightly. "Link, what did you want to tell me?"

However, before Link could respond, the door burst open with a resounding thud. "Hey, Princi-pally! I need to talk to you!"

Link officially wanted to sink into a dark pit and die. What was Midna doing here? _Willingly_? And why did she have to use such a ridiculous name?

"Excuse me, Miss Nightshado, but what are you doing in my office?" Daltus asked impatiently as he drummed his fingers irritably against his desk.

"Well, your daughter's going to get hurt if you let Dragmire stick around! Especially if he's subbing Linky-boy's class again!"

"He was subbing your class?" Daltus asked, confused.

Link nodded fervently, trying to ignore Midna's nickname and finally get to what he had wanted to say originally. "Yes, and he asked your daughter a question. More like bewitched," Link corrected himself. "He was using Dark magic in the Ancient tongue."

Daltus' mouth gaped slightly. "The _Ancient _tongue? But that's…"

"Illegal?" Midna inserted helpfully with an impatient tone. "Yeah it is! So get off your butt and do something about it!"

Mr. Hykarin scowled. "Excuse me, young Twili? Do you have any proof?"

"Well-"

"Can you confirm that you saw it? Either of you?" he demanded.

Midna opened her mouth and screamed, "Of course you idiot! Why would I lie about this?" She heard a coughing noise beside her; her eyes widened as she looked to Aryll, who was having problems speaking.

"I didn't think so," Daltus said gravely.

"But Link saw it too! Ganondorf-" Aryll started, but was quickly cut off.

"Get out of my office, now! Or so help me both of you will face expulsion for the amount of times you have entered without permission."

Midna fumed. "If you keep hiding stuff from Zelda, then she's going to get hurt! She doesn't even know what happened in class today. And you won't say anything?"

"Out!" Daltus roared.

"But-" Midna started. However, Link quickly grabbed each of the girls' arms and began dragging them outside. "YOU'RE A TERRIBLE FATHER! I HOPE YOU REALIZE THAT WHEN YOU'RE DAUGHTER DIES, IT'S 'CUZ YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT-"

Link shoved his hand roughly over the Twili's mouth as he said, "HAVE A GOOD EVENING, SIR!" to his boss who had a scarlet-toned face.

"Link! Let go!" Aryll growled as she wrenched herself from her brother's grasp. Midna quickly followed suit.

"What the heck was that? Link, why didn't you say or do anything? You believe us, don't you? You were there! You saw it!" Midna spat out in rapid fire, her anger only growing.

Link let out a small, silent sigh as he glanced around the empty hallway that stood just around the corner from Daltus' office. "It isn't my business to tell my boss how to live his home life," he said carefully after a few moments.

Midna's eyes widened. "Oh, Silent Realm… Not you too! Why won't you say anything? Link, you're just as much as an idiot as he is! Maybe even more!"

"I know!" Link said in exasperation.

"I know you know! But why didn't you tell him? Why didn't you back us up?" Midna demanded, throwing her hands up in the air.

Link growled, "I can't, Midna. It's not that simple."

"Okay, fine! Maybe you can't tell Daltus to tell Zelda, but why don't _you_? She trusts you, Link! Aryll can't say anything because of Dragmire's silence spell and Zelda will think that I'm spouting nonsense like the time I sarcastically told her you would be her boyfriend, but…"

"WHAT?" Link asked, his eyes shooting to the Twili in surprise.

Midna waved her hands impatiently. "But that's beside the point! Tell her! I can't, Aryll can't, her dad won't…"

"I can't," Link repeated impatiently.

"Why not?" Midna asked, stamping her foot against the ground.

"My hands are tied, Midna!" Link growled, his patience thinning.

At this remark, Aryll's eyes widened.

"Why can't you, Link? What's stopping you?" Midna demanded.

"The Three!" Link hissed. "They have a million rules keeping me silent about all this."

Midna's brow furrowed as her temper cooled. "What? Why would they…? Why you?"

Link raised a blond brow. _Are you kidding me?_ He seemed to ask as he moved his left hand slightly at his side.

"Oh, but…" Midna started. However, Aryll quickly cut her off as the school bell went off.

"Sorry, Link. We get it. Come on, Midna. Let's go get Zelda from the nurse's office," she muttered in rapid succession as she grabbed her friend's hand and began dragging her away. She paused for a moment before turning back to her brother and asking, "Do the same rules apply?"

Link, smiling slightly, nodded.

Aryll grinned and muttered to Midna, "We can work with that."

"Rules?" Midna asked, her brow furrowed in deep confusion. "What rules? Hey! What's going on? Aryll!"

…

Zelda looked between her two friends as they walked through the hallway to their next class. "Guys, what happened in there?" she asked quizzically, holding her head. "My head feels all fuzzy and it hurts."

Midna opened her mouth to say something, but Aryll shot her a quick warning look with a shake of her head. Instead, Midna just shrugged, raising an eyebrow at Aryll when Zelda looked away.

"Maybe you should talk to Link," Aryll suggested nonchalantly.

Midna furrowed her brow. Why Link? He wasn't there for the whole time. Midna knew what had happened. _Aryll_ knew! And she knew that he wasn't going to say anything: the Three deemed he couldn't. The reasoning behind which was totally beyond the teen Twili.

Ignorant of the turmoil occurring between her friends, Zelda bit her lip. "Link?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yeah. Like I said a long time ago, he knows a lot about stuff with the Triforce, History and stuff like that. Maybe your Triforce is wigging out and he can do something about it. He helped when you talked to him before, didn't he?"

"Yeah, well..." Zelda stalled, looking around the hallway. She really didn't want to talk to Link and risk blowing her cover again. He wasn't a dummy, Zelda could tell that just by talking to him. But would telling him her secret be a bad thing? Would he really be able to help her or would he just wind up in danger because he knew something he shouldn't?

"Zelda, he's probably your best bet. You can trust him. Besides, you guys are practically friends after what happened this weekend," Midna finally added after a few moments of silence. She shot Aryll a look that said _we'd better talk about this later._

Aryll nodded behind Zelda's back as she turned to say, "Yeah, I guess…" Zelda let out a little sigh of defeat as she felt herself pressed into a corner. "I guess I'll go talk to him at lunch?"

Aryll nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! That sounds great!"

The dreaded metallic ringing resounded through the school as the friends reached an intersection of hallways. "Well," Midna said with a grin, "Good luck, Zelda!"

**PERIOD: Lunch. PLACE: Farore's Classroom.**

Zelda peeked her head around the bend of the door timidly. Could she really do this? She took in a deep breath of air. _You have to do this, Zelda. You're running out of options._ "Um… Mr. Alavryn?" she called into the seemingly empty room.

A blur of blond suddenly appeared from beneath his desk. "Huh? Who is-?" There was a resounding smack and his head hesitated before coming up all the way, his hand rubbing the back of his head. "Ow…"

Zelda quickly closed the distance as she approached the sub. "Are you okay, Mr… Um… Alavryn… your glasses are gone…"

Link's eyes widened as he reached towards his face before sighing in mild frustration. "I must've dropped them when I hit my head," he mused before dropping off his chair and onto the floor.

"Oh! Here, let me help. I'm the one that made you drop…" Zelda suddenly stopped as she heard glass clink as soon as she took a step forward.

Link crawled around the desk to where she was standing. "Oh, you found them," he said, sounding slightly dazed as he stared at the shattered remains.

"Oh, my gosh! I'm so, so sorry! Let me help you clean that up! I am such an idiot!" Zelda muttered as she dropped to her knees.

"Don't worry about it," Link said, waving it off. "No harm, no foul. Besides, I really don't need them anyway."

"But I… Wait… You don't need them?" Zelda asked, pausing suddenly.

Link froze for a fraction of a second before shrugging. "I have contacts… Just… not with me," he said simply.

That was an obvious answer. Zelda shook her head. "I'm so sorry! At least let me clean it up!" She frantically began reaching around her for the shards of glass and the broken, metal frame.

"No, it's fine! Besides, I don't need them to go home today. The car's broken, I'm walking." Link said as he rushed to pick up the things in Zelda's way. "Really, don't worry about it. You're just gonna…"

"Ow!" Zelda grunted. She retracted her hand towards her as she dropped the shards she had gathered to examine the damage.

"Cut yourself…" Link muttered as he jumped up to retrieve the First Aid kit. After a few second, he returned, dropping to his knees in front of her. "Let me see it," he instructed calmly.

Zelda pouted slightly as she extended her hand toward her substitute. Her cheeks turned slightly pink with embarrassment as he frowned at the glass shard protruding from her palm before getting to work.

He kept a slight amount of distance as he analyzed the initial damage. A few more strands of blond hair fell in his face, but not enough to obscure his sapphire gaze from Zelda's perspective. As soon as he turned to the First Aid box to grab the antiseptic, Zelda forced herself to turn away. Don't stare… Don't stare… She turned her gaze down from his face and blinked slowly a few times.

Link's jacket was missing… And so was his tie… Where were… Why were the first few buttons loose…? Instantly, Zelda's head snapped to the side with a small 'eep!'

"Oh! I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" Link asked, his azure orbs looking up into Zelda's violet ones with concern.

Zelda whipped back to face him again. "No! N-n-no! You didn't hurt me. You're just ho—hahahaha. I mean you didn't hurt me… I just… Uh… Uh… I'm sorry."

Link furrowed his brow in slight confusion as he stared at her. "Uh… Are you sure…?"

"Yeah!" Zelda answered, laughing nervously.

Link's eyes widened for a moment before he turned back to the antiseptic and muttered a near inaudible, "Oh."

Zelda turned away with wide, panicked eyes. _I sound like an idiot! Why would he ever want… No! Bad, Zelda! BAD! Don't be like Ruto! Friend… Friend. FRIEND! You are not boy crazy!_

"Um… Miss Hykarin?"

Zelda flipped her vision back to her substitute and gave a started, "Huh?"

"You mad about something?" he asked, releasing her bandaged hand.

"Uh…" Zelda turned to see that her fist had become clenched beside her face. "Oh! Uh… I was just thinking."

"Ah. Okay," he said with a simple nod as he turned back to pick up the remaining bits and pieces of his glasses. When Zelda moved to help him, he turned his chin up ever so slightly to speak to her and said, "Just let me get it, okay? I don't think we want a repeat of what just happened."

Zelda felt herself turn slightly pink as she nodded and allowed herself to fall backwards onto her legs. "Right." A thought suddenly popped into Zelda's mind as the sub stood to dump the shattered remains of his glasses into the trash can.

"So what did you need?" he asked, finally turning back to face her.

"How are you getting home if your car broke down?" Zelda asked suddenly, her original mission forgotten.

Link, to say the least, looked surprised. "Um… I'm going to walk," he answered simply. "Why do you ask…?"

"In your current state? You're half blind!" Zelda stated incredulously.

"Yeah. I'll be perfectly fine. You really don't need to…" Link started as he headed back to his desk.

"Yes I do! Your car broke down, you were attacked by a dog-"

"It didn't have rabies!" Link repeated rather impatiently.

Zelda ignored that last detail as she continued. "And I broke your glasses! It's like Friday the 13th for you!"

"It's Thursday," Link corrected.

"And your Friday the 13th! Just let me take you home. It's the least I could do after breaking your glasses like that…" When Link didn't look like he was going to give in, Zelda acted on instinct: she grabbed his hand, which he had placed on the desk. "Please?" she asked.

Link flinched slightly as he turned his surprise gaze towards his student. He was about to politely repeat his answer, when he saw her face. Zelda's violet eyes were solemn and pleading as she stared directly into his own colored irises. He shut his eyes abruptly and turned away. "Okay, okay!" he spake, pulling his hand away. "Fine. Just… don't do that…"

Zelda turned her head to the side, her gaze deepening. "Do what?"

"That," Link said, glancing at her slightly. "Anyways, what did you want to talk about? Is this something about class or about your… cousin's uncle's brother… some or other… what was it?"

What was he talking about? Oh, right! _I suck at lying…_ "Um… Well…" Great, how was she supposed to phrase this…?

At that opportune moment, the bell rang. Zelda suddenly jumped to her feet. "Oh! Well, I gotta get to class! Sorry about your glasses and I'll see you after school!"

"Uh… Right…" Link groaned as soon as Zelda left the room as he thought of Zelda's undeniable offer. "Why do I feel like I just got suckered into something?"

* * *

><p><strong>WhiteXIII:<strong> YAY! How was it? Did you like the fluff? OH! The whole thing of, "Why not get rid of Ganon?" will be answered in next chappie.

**MangaMaid: **Which is Chapter 13...

**WhiteXIII:** XD YAY! I think I shall take my thoughts of posting another story simultaneously to commemorate this event. Plus, I need some variation or this thing will fall flat on its face. Though updates may come more sporadically and further apart. Any objections? Yes? No? Tell me! Also, don't forget to tell me what you thought about this chappie! Thanks for taking the time to read it! YOU GUYS ROCK!

**Review Responses:**

_Cheerio:_ HAHAHA! You're grandma sounds like an awesome person! XP That really just made my day. I hope you survived the fluff attack, though. :D I'm glad that you enjoyed Sheik's input. I was hoping that it wouldn't be too weird or anything. :)

_star: _Hahaha! I'm glad that you enjoyed it so much! :)

_THISISSPARTAAAAAAAA__:_ Oh, don't worry about that. :D I enjoy hearing from you. XP Yay Grandma Alavryn!

_Link is my poison:_ Thanks! XD Yeah, I'll work on that… Hooray for summer! Hopefully I'll be able to update a little bit faster… Or just… more punctual than this last time. ^^'

_anonomyous:_ Hahaha. Okay! I'll see what I can do!

_The Trumanator: _:D I'm glad that you liked this so much. Grandma Pearl was one of my favorite people to write in this chapter. :D One of them. XP Oh, Sheik. I know how much you love him. ^^ Haha. Yes, but her senses are still intact… Luckily? XP

_Emperor of Skyloft:_Yeah, I love that game too. I actually have been playing it recently and I'm soo happy from all the ZeLink fluff! XP YAY!

_SarcasticMustache: _Thank you so much! I love how specific your review was. It makes it really easy for me to figure out where I am doing well and what areas need improvement. So you pretty much rock! XP There's so much I wish I could say as to how much I appreciate you, but it's freakishly early in the morning where I am and my brain is dead. You just need to know that I appreciate your honest assessment and that you are totally legit! Thanks for your support!

_MistsOfSodor: _Thanks. That was a really specific compliment—I appreciate that. :D And I'm glad that you loved the ending so much. Are you a Sheik fan? XD

_PaladinXLR_: Thanks! I'm glad that worked out so well. Video games can be a great bonding things, but they can be kinda difficult at times…:) Yay other characters!

_blahblahblaj_: Sorry! School HATES me! Hahaha. I'm glad that you loved that cliffhanger… especially with all my brain blocks that followed. ^^' Well, what'd you think of this update?

_ChaoticFlower15_: Haha. Awesome! I'm glad that you got here and that it was worth the wait. It's always very encouraging for me to hear that from my reviewers. :)

**Character Index:**

I'M USED TO IT!

REVIEW, PLEASE!


	14. Chapter 13

**WhiteXIII: **Hooray! Another post! Chapter 13! I finally made it to my favorite number! … Though this chapter still wasn't very nice to me… Oh, well! XP WE MADE IT ALIVE!

**MangaMaid:** It was nicer than Chapter 7.

**WhiteXIII:** True that! Anyways, THANKS TO: THISISSPARTAAAAAAAA, Agent Mississippi, EternalNight1212, Miss Ashlynn, ShadowNinja1011, Eternal Nocturne, Nimbus2001, Screen, Roy McCoy, HeroofTwilight'sgf, the giggle bug, Katie, SarcasticMustache, Lost In Dreams19, blahblahblaj, SupernalGodzilla, Sapphiet, Swirlydots, Great Angemon, the death o, Jazzmatazz2000, MonsterAssassin, DarkScarletKnight, dragoness of storm, Mr. H2q2, Amychama248, GameCivilization, DaZeLinker, anon, LeilaEditer, coolfashion498, Fearful Shadows, Wytephlame, catherineblythe15, dorkyreader859, Dragonclaw289, Akita DEVIL-OF-LOVE, A Shadow's Lament, nikomoon2, Anonomyous, and Evasme FOR EVERYTHING!

ENJOY!

* * *

><p>Chapter 13<p>

_**Day: Thursday, Part 2.**_

"Be careful!" a voice shrieked. "Ganon, if you do this wrong, then you'll kill it!"

"I know that!" Ganondorf growled as he waved the clippers menacingly. "But the branches are getting in my way, the flower's scent is giving me a headache and some leaves are turning yellow! It needs a trim!"

"And water!" Another voice added.

"I know what I'm doing, Kotake!" he fumed.

"You failed Biology, remember?" Kotake reminded in annoyance as Ganondorf moved to clip another limb from the bush in his office's corner.

"How much longer are we going to be here?" Koume asked in a bored voice. Kotake flinched as Ganondorf stopped, inches away from cutting a whole branch off.

"None so far. Alavryn won't talk and he's the only one that knows anything it seems…"

"Oh, I'm sure Daltus will squawk if you press the right buttons," Koume said with a devilish grin, her face materializing from thin air. "Now, here's what you should do…" She leaned in to whisper in Ganondorf's ear.

"Don't leave me out!" Kotake spat as she also appeared nearby the bush where they were conversing and listened in.

"Understand?" Koume asked.

"Brilliant!" Kotake added. "Can't believe I didn't think of that."

"Didn't ask you, you old water nut!" Koume said with a scowl.

"You're the water nut, you old melon!" Kotake shot back. "You're way older, remember?"

Ignoring the bickering women, Ganondorf grinned. A little… incentive did seem necessary… He quickly dropped the clippers he had been holding and swept away to find his quarry.

…

Daltus' eyes narrowed as he glared at the intruding figure in his office. "Dragmire, what do I owe the pleasure of-?"

"Cut the pleasantries, old man. Of course you know what I'm here for. I find your pretended ignorance to be an annoyance every time I come in here." Ganondorf rolled his neck and succeeded in getting a rather loud pop sound. "I've come to propose a deal."

The portly principal tensed. "A deal?" he asked skeptically.

"Yes," Ganondorf said impatiently before quickly regaining his composure. "I am willing to make a deal with you."

Daltus raised a single brow, suspicious.

"You tell me what I want to know and I'll back off… But, if you don't…" his eyes suddenly darkened. "Then you can say goodbye to your little goody two shoes daughter."

Daltus' eyes widened suddenly as his throat went dry. "Excuse me? You actually expect me to believe that I would-"

Dragmire slammed his fist against the desk, a sardonic smile on his face. "Monday. I will be awaiting for your reply." His dark grin widened as he added, "A Triforce is easy to track and easily replaced. Your daughter? Not so much. Keep that in mind." Ganondorf began heading for the door, a dark smile on his face. He stopped at the door, his hand resting on the knob. "Oh, and remember… you only have until Monday to change my mind."

**PERIOD: 3. CLASS: Ancient Runes. ROOM: 113. TEACHER: Mr. Rauru.**

"My brain is melting," Midna muttered.

Aryll said with a small laugh. "You don't have the dreaded Ancient Runes." The Hylian female made a face.

Midna scrunched her nose in distaste. "Yeah, but it's already started. Too late to stop it and Ancient Runes would just force it to explode."

Zelda laughed. "Then just go to your own class, Midna."

"Yeah, what are you doing here anyways? Shouldn't you be in your own class right about now?" Aryll asked slowly.

Midna looked to her friend before sitting up straight for an explanation. "Oh, my teacher didn't show up. I waited for twenty minutes okay!" Midna said, after getting a concerned glance from Zelda. "So I decided to come here. I was bored."

"Twenty minutes?" Aryll pressed quizzically.

"I actually like that class, okay. Acting isn't all that bad."

"I'm just surprised this place even offers that kind of junk," Aryll muttered. Seeing Midna's infuriated gaze, she added, "I mean, this place is supposed to be all 'high society' and stuff."

Midna shrugged.

Zelda's eyes suddenly lit up. "Oh! Midna, I'm supposed to remind you that you have your interview for work tomorrow. And, if you pass, they would, possibly, like to have to start work and stuff this Saturday."

Midna's eyes widened. "That fast?"

"I would be your Trainer for Orientation," Zelda added helpfully.

Midna grinned. "Only if I pass though, right?"

Zelda smiled. "Yep. So you'd better do well with your interview tomorrow."

"No problem! I'm a master at these things! I'll get the job, no sweat!"

"Midna, you do realize whenever you say things are for certain, you always jynx them and the opposite happens, right?" Aryll asked, barely containing a small chuckle.

"Not this time!" Midna shouted. "Nothing in the world could possibly stop us now!"

…

Red irises blinked slowly, cautiously, waiting for a silent indication of approval. Daltus looked up from his desk, surprise clearly evident on his face for no more than a brief moment before setting down his pen. "Impa? Is something wrong? Or…" His eyes darkened slightly as his voice took on a more serious tone, "Do you have a report?"

The Sheikah nurse shook her head. "Neither, sir, but… I do want to press a certain question that was raised."

Daltus' brow raised in confusion. What question?

Impa clarified, "The one Midna brought up: Why is Zelda still being kept in the dark about everything?"

The principal growled. "You heard that?"

Impa looked slightly embarrassed as she looked around. "I was nearby," she said simply. "Though I have wondered this on several occasions… And, wouldn't it be better for her to know that her life is in danger?"

Daltus sighed. "I don't want her to get dragged into all of this the same way that Aurea members are…"

"And if something happens and she is unable to defend herself against due to a lack of knowledge? Zelda may be a smart and quick-witted girl, but if she doesn't have a clue as to what to do, then she won't…"

"I know what could happen! But there are also the possibilities of what could happen if she knows things too prematurely, then there are worser turnouts. I have been thinking about this for years! Trying to find the right time, the right way to tell her…"

"Then why not just get rid of Dragmire? He is the source of our aggravation. It would be easier on all of us if you would just fire him! You're the principal, you're his boss. Why don't you-?"

Daltus' face paled and his hands shook slightly as his head fell into his palms. His fingers grabbed at his hair as he gulped harshly. "Believe me, Impa. If things could only be that simple, then Ganondorf never would have been allowed to teach in the building once reconstruction was completed."

"But you did… Even while knowing the job the Aurea was about to, once again, take on," Impa pressed.

Principal Hykarin sighed in exasperation and defeat. "I had no choice. The school needed a full staff, no one else was available to take the job besides him. So I hired him on as a Temp. Every now and then another candidate would come in, do a splendid job for a few days and then have a mysterious 'accident.'"

Impa's eyes widened. "You think he sabotaged the others?"

Daltus nodded. "Before too long, he was the only one willing or able for the job and I had to give it to him. A few months ago, Ganondorf began coming into my office and making threats. Mostly against me, the Aurea, things I knew he wouldn't carry out, but… recently, he has been making threats against Zelda… The look in his eyes… He isn't waiting to sit and wait around for much longer. He wants his answers and, if he doesn't get them soon, or if I fire him…" Daltus swallowed harshly. "Then he has his target… And even if I could protect Zelda after he was fired, there is no telling what he would do in the outside world, what knowledge he could acquire or the damage he could do. That is why I cannot fire him: I have to keep an eye on him, influence what he knows and protect Zelda's life…"

Impa stood in silence. Principal Hykarin had taken a gamble, a leap of faith, that if Ganondorf were to be kept by that it would buy them the time they needed as well as preventing Zelda from harm… All at the cost, very possibly, of his own life… Impa wondered for a brief moment if she would do the same for her nephew, Sheik before forcing her mind to focus on less personal matters. "And what of Link? You brought him here to prevent those very things and yet you refute every piece of evidence he brings up against him. Are there similar consequences?"

Daltus nodded miserably as he rubbed his hands over his face in a stressed motion. "I have always been a firm believer of truths and evidences. The word of a few teenage girls, regardless of how much I trust them, is not strong enough for Ganondorf to back away from. He may be impatient and occasionally cocky, he is no fool. Unless he is caught undoubtedly in the act, then I can do nothing without him striking down."

Impa frowned in frustration as she realized the corner they had been driven into. "How did he ever gain so much power over us?"

"Frustration, impatience, knowledge of the Triforce… and a dark mind," Daltus offered before sighing and running his fingers through his hair. "We need time."

"We need a miracle," Impa corrected quietly before excusing herself and exiting.

**PERIOD: 4. ROOM/CLASS: Gym. TEACHER: Mr. Dragmire.**

"We need Link to teach Gym," Midna groaned as she slumped against the Gym's wall for attendance. "I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"And deal with all the crazy school girls? I don't think so," Aryll said, shaking her head firmly. "Besides, in some ways it would be worse."

Zelda looked to her friend in confusion. "How could anything be worse than Mr. Dragmire?"

"He would make Gym bearable. I have to have one thing in my life that I can hate with a passion. It keeps a balance in things," Aryll said simply.

"True that," Midna said, raising her arm pathetically into the air. "Alright. Revote. Fanadi should teach Gym so we don't do anything but pick leaves for her to 'fortune tell.'"

"Oh! Zel, I almost forgot to ask! How did your talk with Link go?" Aryll asked, her blue eyes gleaming with interest.

Zelda froze. Midna grinned, her eyes also glinting slightly. "Yeah… How did the chat with Linky boy go? Were you finally able to get some good information from him?"

"You'd probably get the most if you told him about… you know," Aryll muttered, still smiling.

"Well…" Zelda started, unconsciously running her hands through her hair, which had been put up into a ponytail. "I… I guess it went okay. I mean, it could've gone better, but…"

Aryll's brows furrowed in confusion. "But…?"

Zelda bit her lip as she muttered, "I kinda broke his glasses…"

It was silent for a minute before Midna broke down laughing. "Geez, Zel! You really can't talk to that guy without something going wrong!"

Aryll's hand came up to slap her forehead in a Why-me gesture.

Zelda's face turned a deep shade of red. "Hey! Do not mock the person who is giving you two a ride home!"

Midna put her hands up in minor defense as she attempted to control her laughter. "Okay…" she gasped, her laughter fading slowly. She calmed for a minute before asking, "If you've already broken his arm, now his glasses, what's next? His nose?"

Zelda felt her face heat up even more. She had almost forgotten about the broken arm… Did he hate her? She suddenly felt herself become melancholy at the thought. Did he? Zelda frowned. She wouldn't exactly blame him, but…

"I wonder where Mr. Dragmire is…" Aryll said with a frown, sensing to change the subject after taking note of Zelda's downcast expression.

Midna shrugged. "Who knows, who cares?"

"Maybe someone should go get him…" a Goron student said. "He'd get really mad if we left, even if he didn't show up for the whole period…"

It was silent for a moment before a kid yelled, "NOSE GOES!"

Nobody wanted to go find Ganondorf. Instantly, fingers flew to each of the student's noses… Except for Zelda, who was still deep in thought. "Okay, Hykarin!" the boy who had yelled said, relieved it wasn't him.

"Huh?" Zelda asked, finally snapping from her thoughts.

"You get to go find our teacher. Congrats!"

"Don't die!" various kids said encouragingly.

Zelda felt herself pale. The one teacher who seemed to hold a grudge against her… she had to go find him? She gulped painfully. There was no way she could back out of it. She was a Hykarin, the principal's daughter.

"We'll go too," Aryll said with a smile as she grabbed Zelda's arm and started down the hallway.

Midna sighed. "Yay adventure…" she muttered weakly as she caught up to her friends.

After a few minutes of walking, Zelda decided it would be best to start at his office. "Maybe he's doing some planning or something," Zelda explained calmly as they walked down the hallway where his door was.

"That may be, but I don't wanna go in there," Midna said, scrunching her nose. "Who knows what kind of weird, torturous devices he keeps there."

Zelda shrugged, actually wondering the same thing. "Well, we won't know until we try…" she said, walking up to the door. She exchanged nervous glances with her friends before knocking on the cool metal surface. The door slid open.

Aryll peeked her head around the corner as the other two followed suit.

"Mr. Dragmire?" Zelda called. The room, however, appeared to be empty. Zelda frowned. "That's weird…"

"Whoa. Hey, guys. Check this out," Midna said as she walked into the room and headed for the corner.

"Midna!" Zelda hissed. "What are you doing? Dragmire will kill you if you-"

"Relax. He's not even here, Zel. What he doesn't know what hurt 'im," Midna said, waving her hand impatiently. "But look at this… I think I've seen it somewhere before, but I don't remember its name…"

After a few moments, Aryll entered, muttering, "Well, he hates me no matter what I do…"

Zelda grunted, looked down the hallway nervously and then darted into the room. "Okay, Midna, what is it that you're looking… at…?" Zelda stopped, her brow cocking as she took note of what was in the corner: a small, flowering bush.

"What the…" Aryll started.

"I know, right?" Midna said with a grin. "Hm… But, seriously, I feel like I've seen this somewhere before…"

"So you're a botanist now?" Aryll queried with a grin.

Midna laughed. "I've always been one. What are you talking about?"

Zelda approached the near-black flowers and paused before reaching her pale fingers to brush them. There was something different about them…

"Hey! What are you three doing in here?" a voice suddenly boomed from the entryway.

Zelda froze while Midna and Aryll turned to face to looming figure. "Uh…" Midna started. "You were taking a while, Mr. Dragmire, so we came down here to find you for our…"

The Gerudo's eyes widened as he saw Zelda's hand, which was still stretched towards the bush. "Don't. Touch. The. Plant," he fumed as he stormed in and pulled Zelda away from the bush. "Get out!" he growled to the students.

"But… class…" Midna said slowly.

"OUT! No class today!"

"Okay!" Midna said with a grin. "See ya!" The Twili then grabbed her two friends and darted out of the enraged teacher's office. After they were well down the hallway, Midna let out a low sigh. "Zel, I think your bad behavior just got us out of Gym class today. I flippin' love you."

Zelda laughed weakly. "Thanks, Midna… I think."

"That was pretty strange though… But I guess I won't complain," Aryll said, shrugging off a slight feeling of uneasiness.

"Geez," Midna muttered quietly. "Never knew Dragmire was a plant guy. Weird!" She then shrugged off whatever seemed to be bothering her before turning to Aryll, talking and laughing.

Zelda, however, couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more than just horticulture going on in Mr. Dragmire's office… Something in the back of Zelda's mind screamed that there was more going on in the whole school that she didn't understand, but, just as quickly as the mind entered her thoughts, time had somehow runaway from the trio of friends and they headed towards the Girls' Locker room as the bell rang, ending the school day.

…

Link had been waiting for them at the front exit about ten minutes after class had ended. He was simply standing at the entrance, his bag in hand and still looking dubious as to how he had gotten into this situation.

When they had finally gotten into the car, after a few teasing comments from Midna about Zelda forcing Link to accept a ride, they got on the road and started home. Midna suddenly perked up. "Hey! Why don't we ask Link questions! Zelda, you start."

"How about we let the driver keep her eyes on the road," Link said calmly.

Zelda nodded appreciatively. It was already embarrassing enough to have her sub sitting in the back seat. Why was it so hot in the car?

"Even though you keep your eyes off the road all the time while driving?" Aryll asked quizzically.

"Oooh! You got burned!" Midna said with a chuckle.

Link laughed nervously. "Well… As true as that is… sometimes, I don't want that spreading around like a virus."

"Link, you are a virus," Midna muttered as she watched Zelda's face turn pink.

Link was about to give a healthy retort when his pocket suddenly started vibrating. Giving a quiet apology he pulled out the phone to give it a bewildered look. The screen read: _Madame Farore_. "Just a sec, guys… I gotta take this…"

Link turned to look out the window as he answered. "Hello?"

"_Link, it's been much too long. Do you think you could drop by today for a little visit? I have urgent matters to discuss with you…_"

…

Link shut the navy blue door gently behind him as he pressed his back against it ever so slightly in order to face the individual that sat alone in the house. A kind smile graced the figure's features as they gestured for Link to sit in one of the chairs in the formal Living Room. "Please, Link, there is no need for formalities," her even paced voice said.

The Hylian male nodded as he came to sit on the chair nearest the figure, who was laying on the couch. "Can I get you anything, Madame Farore? Have you been handling your… break well?"

The green-haired woman laughed softly. "Yes, thank you, Link." Her eyes took on a bemused expression as her once favorite student glanced around the room, soaking in as many details as he could. "Link, there is no chance that we will be overheard. This is _my_ home. Who was the last person you knew that could bug the house of one of the Three?"

Link grinned slightly. "When have the Three lived human lifestyles and taught among mortals?"

"Touché," Farore said with a small smile. "I trust my absence hasn't been too harsh for my class. You can still control them?"

The blond nodded. "Yes. I've been wearing the outfit you gave me. It works really well."

Farore raised a green eyebrow, while suppressing a smile. "Yes, it's too bad that your button up shirt doesn't have the same enchantment to make you look… a little larger and, thus, a little older than you currently are… It's too bad to hear about the glasses, though. Those things were my favorite."

Link grinned sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. "You know about that?"

"Link, secrets are my world. Of course I know," Farore said with a glint in her eye as she leaned forward slightly. "And, while we're on the subject, I want to remind you to be more careful as to when you break the enchantment. I trust you understand that by removing the jacket and tie, you are simply… you?"

"Of course I do, I just… Wasn't thinking…" Link said slowly.

Farore grinned. "I think it was probably for better than worse. Especially considering the affect that it had on that poor seventeen year old girl… Zelda, was it?" Link raised a confused brow, but said nothing as Farore continued, "Now, on to business."

Link's brow creased as he rested his chin on his hands. "And what precisely is it that you needed? I was surprised to get your call."

Farore smiled, looking slightly sad. "I wish I could say it was simply to chat, my good friend, but, as you know, things have been… strained as of late."

"Strained enough for the Aurea to call on me after nine years and serious enough to cause you to return to hiding… Do you suppose Ganondorf would have discovered your secret?"

Farore shook her head. "Secrets are my specialty, Link. Though, he did realize that I knew a few things he didn't and wanted information. He believed that I was a member of the Aurea. If I had stuck around for too much longer, then he may have discovered, but…" Her green eyes lifted to meet Link's blue ones.

"You pulled a strategical retreat?"

Farore smiled as she shifted her casted foot, which lay propped up on a pillow. "Precisely. Now, what have you learned of the situation thus far? I trust the Aurea have been communicating with you."

Link shook his head. "I'm not exactly among their numbers, Farore. But, I have spoken with Daltus on several occasions and, earlier today, Ganondorf made his intentions clear…" Link's eyes burned slightly as he muttered, "He's searching for the _Austiora _again."

"Hm… So he wishes to make a repeat of his last attempt nine years ago?"

"No, I think he's determined to succeed this time. Ganondorf has become unprecedentedly restless as of late and, as a result, I fear he is about to do something drastic…"

Farore nodded. "In regards to that… there are certain events that are to come in which the secrets you hold will be released. To Ganondorf and to others. You cannot control everything that is said, but there are some things that must be revealed and others that should not, you can also sway the interpretation and work it to your advantage."

Link paused for a moment, allowing the information to sink into his mind. "Is this a good thing or a bad thing?"

"It depends on what you say to who and when. There are some things you must share with some people and other things that will be told without your control. When the latter happens, you may sway the way it is understood. Do you understand?"

"Less fortune cookie-ish?" Link asked, his brain aching.

"I'm not a fortune teller, Link," Farore said with a smile.

"And why not?" Link asked teasingly.

Farore grinned as she finally leaned back, the tension in the room releasing. "That is my sister's job. Now, I have passed on her warning, and given you instruction. Use it wisely."

Link chuckled as he stood. "So the basic idea is that information that only I know is going to leak and need to be leaked to certain people and I have to figure who, what and when?"

The green-haired deity nodded. "An interesting fortune cookie to say the least."

The blond chuckled as he headed for the door. "Do you need anything?"

"Only for you to listen to my words of warning… Not all secrets are meant to remain hidden, Link. There are some that are best said early and others that must be restrained for as long as possible… but, alas, I cannot advise you as to which secrets are which."

Link blinked slowly a few times. "Isn't that what Nayru wanted to get across?"

Farore shook her head slowly. "Closely related, but geared closer to your personal secrets."

Link's eyes widened in surprise before furrowing into confusion. Finally, he nodded. "Okay. I'll keep that in mind… Thank you… Madame Farore."

The secret keeper smiled as he shut the door, leaving her alone once more. The future was in his hands now…

…

Aryll closed her bed room door behind her as quietly as she could. Midna sat her bed several feet behind the Hylian female. "So…" the said Twili said. "Link has mysteriously vanished, Fado's outside, Lily is with Grandma Pearl outside and Colin's out a friend's house… Now will you tell me what you wanted to talk about?"

Aryll nodded slowly. "It's about what's been going on about Link, the principal and stuff…"

"So you know what's going on?" Midna asked incredulously. "Geez, Aryll! Why haven't you said anything? The Three don't have anything against you, do they?"

Aryll frowned as she shook her head fervently. "Of course they don't and no, I don't really know what's going on."

Midna raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Then why… Rules… I'm confused," she finally summarized.

"I know. Look, all I know is that Link started acting kind of like this several years ago."

"So he's always a weirdo?" Midna asked blatantly.

Aryll scowled. "I mean that, because he's quiet as to what's going on—he's usually pretty open—we can infer that something is going down between him and Ganondorf again. Something that the Three have told him to keep low."

"Like what?" Midna asked, nodding slowly, but still feeling impatient.

Aryll shrugged. "That's where I have no idea. Something with Zelda, I'm guessing. That's why he's targeting her and using Dark magic to…" Aryll coughed. "You know what," she said in a slightly hoarse voice.

Midna scowled. "I hate that stupid spell. You'd think that since Twili have naturally dark magic that I'd be able to undo the curse he put on you and the rest of the class, but, no. It has to be _his_ kind of magic, which is Gerudo. I don't have Gerudo magic! And Nabooru, of all the convenient things, doesn't have magic." Midna growled in frustration.

"We'll figure something out," Aryll insisted. "But they're not going to listen to us anyways at this point. You know that, Mid. We're just teenagers and you're already close to expulsion so having your friends back you up wouldn't seem very reliable to them. Besides, even if we could convince them, we don't know what's going on, so that wouldn't help Zelda one bit."

"So what's your suggestion, genius?" Midna frowned.

"You remember the rules I mentioned to you earlier today?" Aryll said, glancing slowly around her room as if it wasn't secure enough.

"You finally going to explain?" Midna asked, her brows reaching skyward as her interest perked.

Aryll nodded. "Yeah… But…" her eyes widened suddenly as she jumped to her feet and grabbed a book from off her shelf.

"What are you doing?" Midna asked from her position on Aryll's bed as the said Hylian tossed the volume towards her.

"Link's home!" Aryll hissed as she jumped to sit by her friend.

The Twili's eyes widened as she quickly opened the book Aryll tossed to her and began to read something about… "Aryll! I can't read old-fashioned Hylian!" Midna hissed.

"And that's why we're going to work on it," Aryll said, dropping her quiet tone and eyeing the door as she spoke.

Midna raised a brow in slight confusion before giving a small nod of understanding. They were "studying."

They sat on Aryll's bed for a while, Midna accumulating a headache, before the blond Hylian suddenly jumped to her feet. "Midna! I just figured out where we may be able to get some answers!"

"A translator for Old Hylian speak you mean?" Midna asked, holding her head.

Aryll shook her head. "No. Even better. It's about our little problem, but…"

"Then tell me, darn it!" Midna exclaimed, dropping the book as if it was poison.

Aryll glanced at the door and shook her head. "I can, but I'll have to break into the Study… And Link won't be too happy about me borrowing it, but… We need it. Emergency," Aryll decided.

Midna cocked a brow. "Care to share what you're talking about?"

"In due time," Aryll said, shaking her head. "But… Midna, I need you to do something for me…"

Why did Midna not like where Aryll was going with this…

…

"Hey, Link!" the red-eyed Twili said cheerily. "What are ya up to?"

Link cocked an eyebrow as he turned from his position at the stove. "Cooking dinner… What are you doing? I heard you and Aryll studying upstairs. Is that for your Acting class?"

Midna nodded before internally grimacing. _You so owe me, Aryll._"Yep! Oh, Link, I also need a favor."

Link cocked an eyebrow as he turned away from what he was doing, dusting his hands. "Yeah? What is it?"

"Um… Um…" Might as well get it over with… "I wanna do the Funky Cuccoo!"

Link raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked, totally taken aback.

"Do it with me!" Midna shouted, grabbing his arm and starting through the motions. "I have to do it with someone so I can… get used to… dancing randomly! NOW DO IT!"

After another awkward moment of hesitation, Link finally began mirroring Midna's actions while she sang, "_Twinkle, twinkle little Cuccoo. I am gold and not for yo-ou~!_"

…

Aryll slipped into the room furthest down the hall and on the right. Even with Midna's crazy singing, Aryll instantly ran to her target. The glass doors to the little cabinet mirrored Aryll's reflection as she peered inside. She pressed her hand against the cool glass and slid it across the glassy surface. Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she watched the book spines beneath her fingers. After a few minutes of searching, Aryll felt a jolt of power run through her hand and quickly retraced her fingers to the volume. The jolt returned and Aryll grinned before pulling out a key she had found in Link's room and grabbing the book.

"Come on, Link! SING WITH ME!" Midna shouted as she continued screaming the lyrics.

"Midna, this is really weird!" Link said slowly.

Aryll ran down the hallway and gave Midna a quick wave from her place on the staircase.

"Okay, fine! We're done now. Thanks for your help!" Midna yelled as she suddenly darted up the stairs, leaving Link very confused.

…

Around 11 PM, Link finally seemed to realize that the sun had gone down and it was officially time to sleep. Aryll and Midna had bid good night to him and huddled in Aryll's room since Midna's was going to be painted soon and her room was a wreck as a result. The two girls waited until the sounds of Link's even breathing came. After a minute or so of listening to her sleeping brother, Aryll got to her feet, crossed her room and rummaged around in her dresser.

After a few moments, the blond girl turned and returned to where her friend lay on the floor and laid on her belly so they could converse quietly. "Alright, so I got to thinking about what we were discussing earlier and wondered if this might have anything to do with it," Aryll muttered as she uncurled her arms, revealing the battered, brown book that Midna recalled Zelda being fascinated with the last time she had spent the night at the Alavryn's.

Midna raised her brow in confusion. "Link's stinky, dusty, old book?"

"No!" Aryll said, sounding slightly insulted. "Well, yes, but it is not old! It's a relic!"

"I can see that…" Midna muttered, noting the torn and worn cover. "So are we going to read it or something.

Aryll, who had been scowling at Midna's initial comment, gave Midna a look of shock. "Of course not! That would be suicide!"

Midna couldn't suppress a small laugh. "Oh, no! Beware the all powerful book that will kill us all! Be careful! It's old, dusty pages might make you sneeze to death! Is it poisonous or something?"

"To us it may as well be," Aryll hissed. "This is Farore's Book of Secrets, also known as _Farore's Memories_. Ever heard of it?"

The Twili's eyes flew wide with surprise. "What? You're telling me that that's… That's one of the Three's ultimate objects of power?"

Aryll nodded slowly, glad that her friend finally understood.

Disbelief and surprise shot through Midna's system and she couldn't suppress a rather loud, "_WHAT?_"

"SHHH!" Aryll hissed as silently as she could. She squashed her friend flat to the ground as her ears perked, searching for any noises of Link stirring. She heard the said brother let of a grunt, followed by a thud, then silence. After a few moments of no change, Aryll let off a low sigh of relief and finally released the pressure from her friend's back. "That was too close…"

"Sorry," Midna whispered. "But seriously, some people show up and say, 'hey, here's a dangerous, ancient artifact that belongs to Farore; you can have it!'"

Aryll nodded slowly, still staring the door down. Satisfied that her older brother wasn't getting up to check on them, she said, "Basically."

Midna gave her an incredulous look before shaking her head in disbelief. "Your family is so weird."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Aryll muttered, a slight laugh escaping between her lips.

"So what's the point of you showing me this?" Midna asked, eyeing the old book cautiously.

"When people open it they are able to read any secrets that they had or are keeping…" Aryll started slowly.

"Okay…" Midna said slowly. "So why do you guys have it?"

Aryll gave her a look. "I don't know. Like I said, someone showed up and just gave it to us."

"Okay… So, if it only tells us what we already know, then what's the point of it?"

"We can also ask questions, but it won't always spit out the answers."

Midna gave her friend a skeptical look. "Uh-huh… You bring in an old book and expect me to believe that it's Farore's Item of Power?"

Aryll smirked as she handed the book to her. "If you don't believe me… Ask it a question about yourself."

Midna rolled her eyes as she accepted the book. "Fine, fine… Hm… What was the most embarrassing thing in all my eighteen years of life?" The covers of the book suddenly billowed back as the pages ruffled themselves before resting in an open position. Midna's brows raised as she leaned over to read the contents. Her face suddenly flushed red as she slammed it shut. "Okay! So what are we asking The Book of Secrets for tonight?"

Aryll grinned as she took the book from Midna. "Book of Secrets, what is happening behind the scenes at Hyrule Academy?"

The book flipped back to the first page where a small label sat. Aryll frowned. "No answer, huh…?"

Midna looked over her shoulder. "What's this?"

Aryll sighed. "The warning label…" she summarized.

Midna cocked an eyebrow. "A book… has a warning label…"

"It's an Item of Power," Aryll repeated.

Midna growled as she read the ancient scrawling: _What knowledge is given, little is told._ "Lovely, more riddles," Midna groaned. "Seriously, what are we supposed to do with this? What does it even mean?"

"The more you know, the less you can tell… I think that's what's going on with Link."

Midna shook her head. "Okay… And what exactly are we supposed to do with that information?"

Aryll shrugged. "I was hoping you'd get some ideas…"

"You're the one with the answers here, Aryll!" Midna hissed.

"I know! But… We need to get Zelda to talk to Link."

The orange-haired girl scoffed. "Yeah right. He already said that he couldn't talk to Zelda. The Three have a million rules hog tying the guy's mouth shut. Something about rules, remember?"

Aryll grinned. "That may be true, but… There is a way to get around that."

"Well, spill!" Midna hissed after a few moments of silence. She scooted closer to Aryll from her quilt closer to where Aryll was laying next to her on the floor.

The Hylian girl cast one final look at the door, nervousness pricking at her nerves, her Hylian hearing straining in a triple check before she finally turned back to her friend and spoke. "Link can tell Zelda if she asks him about what she wants to know specifically."

Midna stared blankly at Aryll's light blue eyes. "You've got to be kidding. That's your plan? That makes no sense! He said he couldn't talk about it!"

Aryll quickly waved for Midna to lower her voice before explaining. "Yes it does! The biggest rule with the Three is that the more you know, the less you can say. That's why Link can't just walk up to Zelda and tell her what's going on, but if _she_ asks _him_, then he can." When Midna still didn't look convinced, Aryll continued. "I think it's because they are both Triforce Bearers."

Midna nodded slowly, digesting the information. "I guess that makes sense… I mean, why would the Three tell him a whole bunch of junk if it was just going to prevent him from doing his job as the Bearer of Courage?"

"And since he and Zelda have the closest ties in that way, she's the only one he can tell."

"But only if she asks… Geez, we're doomed," Midna summarized.

Aryll sighed. "Maybe, but… We can't lose hope! Zelda just has to trust Link enough to let him know that she has a Triforce. That way, Link can answer any question full out!"

"Like I said: we're doomed," Midna hissed, glancing at the door. "We just barely got her comfortable even talking to him and now we want her to spill her deepest darkest secret? I don't think that's going to happen. Nuh-uh. Not in this lifetime."

Aryll scowled. "I know, but… What can we do? We need a plan, Midna!"

"I know. Give me a minute…" Midna paused for a moment, her eyes narrowed as she stared down a shadow in front of her. Her eyes suddenly lit up, the yellow in her eyes slightly illuminating the area in front of her. "I got it."

"Obviously," Aryll said, scooting closer impatiently. "Now you spill." Aryll grinned widely as Midna spoke, her ideas spelling themselves out like clockwork: nice, simple, unfaultable except for one detail.

"I think that just might work," Aryll breathed.

Midna nodded. "Told you."

"But there's just one problem…" Aryll muttered silently, her excitement dying quicklky.

"What is it now?" Midna asked with a raised brow. "We've covered everything."

Aryll nodded slowly as she turned to face her friend. "Everything except for the fact that Zelda is terrified of speaking to boys… Especially Link for some reason, though I can't figure why…"

Midna growled. "Well, we'll cross that hurdle when we come to it. Besides, this plan is fool proof!"

Aryll hesitated. "I'm not so certain, Midna… And how do we know that Zelda won't think of this herself? She is pretty smart. I'm sure she's figured that something is going on… And we've already encouraged her about getting Link's help…"

Midna laughed silently. "Aryll, the only problem with that idea is the same 'problem' with the plan we came up with. Besides, she won't come to that conclusion."

Aryll frowned. "Well… We can't say that for certain… Maybe we could ask the Book…"

Midna shook her head. "No need." Her eyes suddenly gleamed. "Why don't we just make a bet on this instead and stick with our plan until then?"

Aryll's brow raised inquiringly. "And the prize would be…?"

"A favor," Midna said innocently.

Aryll grinned. "You're on!" The two girls reached their hands out and grasped the opposites firmly.

* * *

><p><strong>WhiteXIII:<strong> Yay! Chapter 13 is DONE!

**MangaMaid:** On the 13th… Irony.

**WhiteXIII:** XP I'm sooooo happy! Oh! And, in case you didn't notice, I did put up another ZeLink Legend of Zelda story! So go check it out! It's a revamp of one I started with O Spastic One a long time ago! It's new title is "Requiem of Time." What do you have to say about it, MangaMaid?

**MangaMaid:** … The revamp…? … Addicting.

**WhiteXIII:** ^/^ Oh, don't go getting their hopes up so high! It's not that great! But hooray for variation! Hopefully both stories will remain healthy. :D HOORAY FOR STORY SUICIDE!

**MangaMaid:** *Holds up XIII Translator* "YAY! I get to write two stories simultaneously!" Calm...

**WhiteXIII:** NEVER! XP

**MangaMaid:** *shrugs* Oh, people, REVIEW!

**WhiteXIII:** That's my line!

**Review Responses:**

_THISISSPARTAAAAAAAA__:_ Hahaha. Hooray for dancing! Hope you had fun with that. :D Haha. That may be true, you had to wait for me to update. :) Thank you for your enthusiastic review. It made me smile.

_Nimbus2001:_ Heehee. I think you're the only one so far who has picked up on that. ^^' As for the silencing spell, that was placed on everybody as soon as Ganondorf started using his Dark Magic. It was a precaution so nobody could outright complain about it. But, since Midna's magic is naturally dark due to her Twili nature, she isn't affected. However, nobody will believe her word alone. The fluff is meant to be a little awkward. They're in a strange position. And, there is a reason why it's so sporadic. I'm sorry it's kind of confusing, but I will be explaining why Zelda goes from total freak out to… total not. Hahaha! You don't want to read another fanfic? XP

_Katie:_ Haha. Thanks! That really makes my day! Yes! ZELINK! LONG LIVE ZELINK! XP

_SarcasticMustache:_ Alright, then I won't lie either. When I first saw this review: O-O After reading: ^^ Yay! I really love how specific you get. You're not afraid to tell me specifics of what you liked, what I'm doing well and not so well and I love it. You even do it in a way that is constructive and not degrading. So thank you! I like responding to all my reviewers. I wouldn't get to have a lot of these fun conversations if I didn't. :D Speaking of which, if you're not sitting you might want to tie yourself down so you don't get blown away by my ridiculously long response. :D

1.) Hahaha! I know what you mean with the whole super serious thing and he's totally freaky when he's like that, but, he's also only human and he's super frustrated. So why not destroy the computer? He can't get his hands on anything else. XP Haha. I felt really weird writing that since it was so weird, I'm glad it affect turned for the best. :) Villain minds scare me sometimes, but Ganondorf's is actually kind of fun. :D

2.) Thank you! You understand! I'm never certain if people get why I do that! It's hard to define a character without putting them into situations. People act differently in different situations (they think differently and have the fight or flight response based on what's going on) and it's really important to know since those moments hit the core of a character! I'm so glad you noticed that!

3.) I know what you're talking about. There's not a lot of point in reading a story that you already know anything about. It's boring and predictable! I hate predictable plots! My brain likes guessing and I'm right 80% of the time. It's obnoxious! Plus I think doing it slowly is fun: both for the readers and me.

4.) Zelink is the best! ^^ Oh, wow. Thanks. I know what you're talking about with that as well. It's confusing for me and a little illogical… so I can't write that stuff really well. Things always have to make sense in my brain otherwise I can't write. I agree, though. It's nice to have them around, though. They're fun to read every now and then. The cute little moments are my favorite to write! If there are only hugely fluffy scenes, then they grow old. Little things where they just talk are the most common in real life and also some of the funniest you can get. :) I'm glad that you enjoy them so much! Refreshing? ^/^ Thanks! I'm glad that you're loving the fluff in this one and I especially like how you aren't going: "I WANT ALL CRAZY ZELINK NOW!" ^^ It's just nice to know that nice and slow is working well.

5.) Yeah, I realize that that section was probably a bit confusing and where I had the most concern. I'm glad that you guys have seemed to have figured it out. Midna and Aryll, as I hope I explained in this chapter, don't know what's happening, but they know something is and want Link to be able to do something about it. They just have that sense that something bad is going on and that it will only get worse. Are they allowed to know? They only have suspicions and Link's silent behavior only gives Aryll more reason. Again, I'm glad you were able to figure out that it happened. Hopefully this chapter cleared up a lot of confusion. :) Has any of this made any sense? XP

6.) Your review can only be as obnoxious as this response. :) Thanks for taking so much time to write such a hyperspecific review. I have legitimately read it time and time again.

7.) Thanks for your honesty and your support. The quality of Hyrule Academy is not likely to drop. At least I hope. ^^' This is my main story so I'm going to be sticking with it to the end. No matter how bitter. Last thing: I think I won the obnoxious length award… ^^'

_blahblahblaj:_ Hahaha! Thanks! It makes me really happy to hear that! XP Yep, I'm glad you picked up on that. :D Heheheh. ^^' Cliffhangers… Yep. Patience is a fun game, huh? NO! School is evil! Do not let it defeat you! Fight! WIN! Young Zelink fluff? There will be some flashbacks later on. :) I hope you enjoy them when they come. :D Thanks for all your support!

_anon:_ Hahaha! I'm glad that you enjoyed it so much. XD Oh, goodness. You were up for hours reading this? ^^' Whoops. WhiteXIII causing sleep deprivation all over the planet, one reader at a time. Good to hear that you have not been punished yet. ^^' I'm glad that you enjoyed it so much and I hope that you can get some decent sleep. :D

_Anonomyous_: Thanks. I'm glad that you're enjoying this so much and that it's working out well. :) But where am I making spelling errors? Hm… I guess it's not so important as long as you guys know what I'm talking about and it doesn't hinder the quality of the fic. :D Oh, thanks. ^/^ Haha. Yes, Midna's boots are great! I'm glad they went over well, I just thought they'd be fun.

Seriously guys, **REVIEW!**

**And check out "Requiem of Time"! Regardless of the seriousness around it, it does have it's funny moments. :D**


	15. Chapter 14

**WhiteXIII: **Okay. So... I wanted to post this on Hyrule Academy's birthday this month, but... I missed it! And then I missed Friday 13th and I was very sad... I hate brain blocks, my crazy schedule and...

**MangaMaid:** And the fact that I'm leaving soon?

**WhiteXIII: **T^T Yes...! I'll be without editor soon... This'll go well. So when this story goes down in burning ashes...

**MangaMaid: **I'll only be a few hours away... And I will have my email and my phone. It's going to be okay.

**WhiteXIII:** Yeah, but... Alright. We'll make it through this... Though I **may not have enough time to update next month.** So I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. We worked hard on it through the wee hours of the night.

**MangaMaid:** She deprived me of sleep... You'd better enjoy it!

**WhiteXIII:** :D I'm the sleep monger! Not you! Anyways, THANKS TO: EternalNight1212, anon1, THISISSPARTAAAAAAAA, Macartyjr2, dragoness of storm, Agent Mississippi, Maraya Prower, Great Angemon, Evasme, Fearful Shadows, HeroofTwilight'sgf, Gray Sparkles, Sapphiet, KR-Orion, SupernalGodzilla, musiclover99, Screen, amwick, Lost In Dreams19, A Shadow's Lament, The Supreme, SapphireDragonLegend, random reviewer, dorkyreader859, Guest, ChelseaAnonymous, Nint3ndozzzz, RiderlessWolf, blablablahdiblablha, pyrocord, whosahassa, tarooso, seraphicfox2515, THISISSPARTAAAAAAAAA, Anonymous, pokeperson1000, Nintendomadd, Esparia, GlissGirl99, and GameCivilization FOR EVERYTHING!

My computer wonked out for a while, so if there are people absent, I apologize. I was given no notice unless I saw you reviewed... And we're using MangaMaid's laptop... I miss my computer!

**MangaMaid:** May it rest in peace...

**WhiteXIII:** Yeah... Anyways, ENJOY!

* * *

><p>Chapter 14<p>

_**Friday**_

_"I see… Now, there is only one last thing I must know before we can continue any further…" a voice said slowly, their sharp gaze kept firmly on the figure before them as they drummed their fingers on their thigh._

_ The figure's eyes narrowed in grim determination. "And that would be?"_

_ The voice smiled as they held out two objects. "Which do you prefer?"_

_The figure paused for a moment, a brief flash of confusion in their gaze before they gestured to the object on the right._

_ The voice smiled. "Excellent. I do believe this will work, Midna…"_

_**Saturday**_

Zelda groaned as she rolled out of her bed before glaring at her alarm clock. She suddenly grinned as she jumped to her feet and pulled on a pair of black dress slacks, and a turquoise button-up with an embroidered silver insignia that had lines running down the left side of the shirt.

She grinned as she threw her hair up in a messy bun and ran down the hall, grabbing a bagel as she went, and disappeared out the front door and made a beeline for her car. Today was the day!

**…**

For the first time in the past two weeks, there was finally an uneventful school day. For that, Zelda felt mildly relieved, but, she couldn't help but shiver as she felt a strange charge in the air. Something about this peacefulness felt fake. She tried to shrug it off, which wasn't too difficult since Midna and Aryll had also been acting peculiar since Friday morning. And today was going to be no better. Zelda could just feel it.

She shook her head, dismissing the thoughts as her little blue car finally pulled into the parking lot at the Alavryn's.

Inside the house, Midna and Aryll gave a firm nod to each other as they noted Zelda's car in the parking lot. "You sure this is gonna work, right?"Aryll asked skeptically. "If we keep trying to push Zelda to talk to Link she may just pull away…"

Midna scowled. "I know, but, like I said yesterday, this is gonna work!"

Aryll frowned, unconvinced, but didn't voice her doubts as she went to answer the door, where Zelda stood on the other side, completely unaware of what was about to unfold.

"Midna, are you ready for your first day of work?" Zelda asked, barely able to contain her smile.

The said Twili grinned. "Of course! Though, your boss does give really… interesting interviews…"

Zelda laughed. "I know what you mean. Why aren't you in uniform yet?"

"Boss said I'd get it when we got to work today," Midna answered with a shrug.

Zelda and Aryll beamed. "Way to go, Mid!" Aryll said. "You're one step closer to being accepted into society."

Midna laughed before loudly pronouncing, "And to paying a certain idiot 8,000 rupees…"

"Hey! Who are you calling an idiot?" a voice called from the other room in good humored defense.

"Well, we only have one dimwit in this house!" Midna shot back, smirking slightly. "And don't try pretending like it's not you, Linky boy!"

"You're the one that keeps getting my name wrong," laughed the Hylian male as he came around the corner in street clothes—a forest green T-shirt and jeans, his gloves MIA. "So who's really the… Good morning, Miss-" Link coughed as Midna, who had edged over to where he stood, elbowed him in the gut.

"Midna!" he said in exasperation.

"What?" she asked innocently. "My elbow slipped." _Link, if you act all weird, then the plan won't work!_

Link made a growling noise as Zelda waved a small hello.

The said female blinked slowly a few times before her face jumped to a thousand degree temperature. How long had she been staring? She slowly raised her hand in a greeting, unable to get her vocals to work. Mr. Alavryn certainly looked a lot different in street clothes. No matter how many times Zelda saw him outside of school, she would never get over this culture shock. Ever.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, tough guy," Midna grinned, waving the annoyed Hylian off.

Link frowned. "Why do you always _do_ that?"

Midna grinned. "Because I'm awesome like that."

"Oh, yeah?" Link asked challengingly.

"Yeah," Midna said, turning away, pretending to be superior.

"Um…" Zelda started. "Guys?"

"Well, in a battle of epic proportions, I believe I'd win," Link said, crossing his arms, as if that settled the matter.

"Dream on, Linky boy! I'd win, 'cuz I'm awesome!" Midna said, putting her hands on her hips.

"Um… Excuse me…" Zelda started again, slightly louder this time.

Link scoffed. "Oh, really? And who made you awesome? Oh, yeah. Me! 'Cuz I'm the Awesome Master!"

"Guys…" Zelda said futilely, her patience wearing.

It was Midna's turn to scoff. "Only in your dreams, Mr. _Mom_."

Link growled. "Well if I'm a woman, Midna… then you must be a preppy cheerleader who hangs around with the Dragmire girl."

Midna's nose wrinkled in distaste. "Well, even if I was I could still kick your stupid-"

A high pitched screech suddenly hit the air as Zelda whistled, causing both parties to cover their ears. "Can I have your attention please?" Zelda half-yelled after the two had removed their hands from their ears.

"Yes, ma'am," Midna said, turning to face the usually quiet Hylian.

Link's brows were raised as he turned toward Zelda as well. _Who knew she could get that loud…_

Zelda smiled gently. "Thank you." She turned her attention to Midna as she pointed to her wristwatch. "We're going to be late if we don't get a move on."

Link's eyes suddenly widened as he jumped forward, grabbing Zelda's wrist and looking at the time. Zelda's eyes widened as her brain tried to decide if she should blush or wrench her hand out of his grip. However, he pulled away before she could complete the second.

"Shoot!" Link gritted his teeth as he suddenly turned, grabbed his things and darted towards the door. "I'm gonna be late!"

"For what? You don't have work for… six hours!" Aryll complained, her brow furrowing.

"He's late for saying that line," Grandma called from the other room.

Ignoring Pearl's interjection, Link gave an obvious, one-worded answer as he ran around grabbing his backpack, "Work."

"Again. Six hours."

Link shrugged. "Odd job. Downtown," he answered simply. He headed for the door, grabbing a messenger bag that sat by the entrance. "Anyways, I gotta get going if I'm going to be on time."

"Huh?" Midna started slowly. "You're leaving?" Yeah, a thousand years the plan would be completed. "Isn't the car still broken?"

Link nodded. "Yep, I'm using an alternate form of transportation today."

"And by that you mean you're walking?" Aryll asked incredulously. When Link nodded again, she continued, "Downtown? Link, that's like, an hour walk!"

Link nodded a third time, not seeing the problem. "Yep. I have work at _Romani's_ later today as well, so I won't be home until late. You girls behave. Good luck at your first day of work, Midna."

"You know, I could give you a ride. I'm giving Midna one and, if it's on the way, then it really won't be that big of a deal." Zelda shrugged as she glanced at her watch. They could still be on time to work.

Midna looked as if a gift had just fallen from heaven. She wasn't sure where Zelda had gotten those words of genius. She quickly interjected before anyone had any time to object, "Yeah, Linky boy! It'll be fun! Let's go!" The Twili ran forward, grabbing Link's arm and yanking him out the door. "See you later, Aryll! Come on, Zel!"

Zelda blinked a few times before figuring what had just happened. She smiled to Aryll as she followed Midna and her substitute teacher out the door. Why did she have a feeling that things were about to get weird?

**…**

After pulling from the driveway, Zelda was in business mode. "So where are we taking you, exactly?"

Link still couldn't believe this was happening. Why was Midna so intent? He shrugged, visible in the rearview mirror. "Depends on where you guys are working. You can seriously just drop me off either there or somewhere along the way and I'll find my way there. I have plenty of time."

Midna rolled her eyes. Could he make this any more difficult? "I'm going to start working at F.T.W's today. It's in the center of a whole bunch of shops and junk. What exactly are you doing today?"

Link honestly had no idea what F.T.W's was, but… "There should be fine."

"You don't even know what it is, do you, Linky boy?" Midna asked, dropping the last question since Link obviously wouldn't answer.

He laughed nervously. "Well… I…" When Midna gave him an expectant gaze he muttered, "Not exactly."

"Figures. You've worked just about everywhere, but you have no idea what the most popular clothing store is. And, no, it is not only female clothing. I swear, that places supplies clothes for just about everything: street clothes, formal wear, costumes… Everything!"

Link smirked. "For a girl who doesn't like shopping, you certainly know quite a bit about this place…"

Midna play-punched his shoulder. "One, Ruto's fault. And, two, good because I'm working there starting today. Don't you know the places you've worked at?"

The Hylian male laughed sheepishly. "Honestly, you'd think after working in about thirty different places I'd forget, but, strangely, yes I do remember… I think."

Zelda couldn't help but laugh at his last moment addition. She opened her mouth to add to the conversation, but after a few seconds thought better of it. _It really isn't my place to talk to him…_she thought, biting her lip. Realization plowed into her gut as one thought crossed her mind: _He's a total stranger to me… _

Midna internally scowled. _I guess she'll just have to listen…_ "So, Link, do you have a favorite color?"

Link raised a confused brow. "Yeah…" he said slowly, giving Midna the you-should-know-this look. When she only continued to look expectantly at him, he answered, "Green."

She grinned. "Cool color. It's good for you. Um… What's your favorite food?"

He shrugged, giving in to answering questions he knew Midna had the answers to. Not even stopping to wonder why… "Everything, unless it's made by Grandma." Link shuddered at the last thought.

Zelda smiled from her spot in the driver's seat, also oblivious to the why.

Midna laughed. "I second that. Beverage?"

"Milk."

"Do you dislike any food besides Grandma's cooking? Or are you just a typical boy and will eat anything?" Midna asked with a sly grin. Something about getting these answers a second time was entertaining.

"Uh… I don't think so…? Oh! Bee larva," Link said, nodding. "And anything that moves."

"I think that qualifies as not food and Grandma's cooking," Midna said, scrunching her nose. "And since when have you eaten bee larvae?"

Link shuddered. "You don't want to know. And, it is too a food… Just not around here. In some places it's considered a delicacy, others a medical additive… It's not worth it."

"Allergies?"

"Not yet."

Midna paused before grinning evilly. "Favorite sibling?"

Link glared at her. "No comment."

"Aw! Why not? Don't you love us? You gotta have a favorite!" Midna play pouted.

Link gave her a serious look. "No comment," he repeated. "Your favorite?"

Midna grinned sheepishly. She had just pushed herself into a corner. "No comment?" she muttered innocently.

Link grinned. "I thought as much."

"Um… Are you guys going to start the awesome fight again? Because there's no time." The car came to a slow stop. "We're here," she explained simply.

Link gave a curt nod, just happy to get away from Midna and her strange behavior. "Thank you…" He glanced at Midna, who's elbow was ready 'to slip' again. "Zelda."

Zelda opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly stopped as she recognized her name rolling from his tenor voice. She blinked and finally managed, "Uh… Yeah. You're welcome, Mr. Alavryn."

Midna glared at her friend. Link, however, didn't take notice as he took his leave.

The Twili reached over and slapped her friend's arm as soon as Link was out of hearing.

"Ow! What?" Zelda frowned, turning to glare at her friend.

"Okay. Even I don't pay attention, especially to substitutes, but _I_ remember that Link said to call him _Link_ on his first day at school. So why do you keep calling him that?"

Zelda shrugged, embarrassed. "Because… Well, it just feels weird, I guess."

Midna raised a brow. "Really? Well… He asked politely, remember? Is it really _that_ weird to call him Link?"

Zelda frowned. "I don't live with him, Midna."

The Twili sighed. "Yeah, but it's been a week and a half. Shouldn't you start calling him what he'd like to be called rather than insisting on making him uncomfortable?"

The blonde blinked slowly as the thought digested in her mind. "I make him uncomfortable?" she asked uncertainly. "But I thought…"

Midna nodded sagely. "You call him 'Mister' and he gets kinda weird. You'd have to ask him why, but, yes, you make him uncomfortable."

Zelda felt something in her chest ache as she nodded her head in understanding. Maybe just calling him by his name wouldn't kill her…

**…**

"No way. There is no way I am working with some untalented, homely, little _boy_! Why do I have to put up with this? Where's Damian? I refuse to work with such a… a… pathetic excuse for a replacement!" a blonde girl shrieked as she threw her arms in the air. Her curls swaying madly in her rage.

"Now, Mila, dawling," a man in fancy attire started.

"Don't you Mila me, Daddy! I. Want. DAMIAN!"

The poor portly man gave an apologetic look to the object of his daughter's wrath.

"Oh, dear," Freezia muttered, her fingers tapping against her forearm. "Now this won't do… Hm… Don't worry, Link, you're not unsightly."

"She didn't say that," Link said, watching the girl screeching at her portly father/agent. "And it doesn't really bother me. She's not worth getting worked up over."

"Excuse me?" Mila snarled, pushing her father aside to face Link. "_I'm_ not worth getting worked up over? You're below my standard of being in my presence! Get out!"

Link raised his eyebrows in surprise as Freezia suddenly stepped in, attempting to soothe the raging female, all the while being firm. "Mila, I hired Link. He has the appearance I'm looking for in this job."

"We are models! Not mangy dogs in formal attire!"

"Mila!" The father exclaimed, exasperated.

"I'm not mangy," Link muttered, mostly to himself.

"Mila," Freezia said in a warning tone. "Please just calm down so we can-"

"You know what? I'm not doing this shoot. Find someone else or get Damian." Mila stalked off, her father following after, apologizing to both Freezia and Link.

As soon as they were out of sight, Link let out a low whistle. "Well she's, uh… she's a real…"

"Diva? I know. She's a great model, though." Freezia turned to face Link, her blue hair rippling. "Well… Now we need a new girl…" She paused for a moment.

"Madame Freezia?" a familiar voice called. "We can't seem to find Midna's shirt. Do you know where it is?"

Link's eyes widened in recognition as he took a few steps back to hide partially behind a plant.

Freezia smiled, blind to Link's discomfort. "Zelda! I actually have a different job for you today. Please meet me in the dressing room!"

"But… Midna… Her shirt… I'm supposed to…"

"Oh, have Mercie, Molly and Gina teach her! I need you to substitute for me!"

"Substitute?" Zelda asked, nervously, her head peering around the edge of the photo shoot area. Link had successfully blended into the plant. It was at that very moment, he realized his love for the color green.

Freezia gave a dazzling grin as she clapped her hands. "Joanne! Take Zelda to the dressing room and get her ready for the shoot pronto!"

A girl with bright orange hair and dark, tan skin seemed to materialize out of nowhere and grab Zelda, who had little choice but to follow with a small groan.

Link let out a sigh of relief. She was gone. He froze as he noticed Freezia's gaze on him.

"Now, won't this be fun?" she asked with a grin that was a little _too_ big.

Link felt his face pale. He didn't like that look…

She clapped her hands together. "Malver! Get Link ready please!"

Link felt his insides squirm as an overly friendly and enthusiastic man, who was dressed in eccentric pink and red, appeared by his side and grabbed Link's arm. "Gladly, Madame Freezia. This way, sir."

Link's life was officially over.

**…**

"Um… Really, Joanne, I can dress myself," Zelda said nervously as she attempted to swat the girl away.

"Oh, nonsense. This is what I do for a living… Kinda. If I had my way, then we would be doing a mermaid shoot."

Zelda blushed in embarrassment. Thank Nayru Joanne didn't have her way… "Well, still… Please? I'm not a professional."

"Oh, relax! I am! Besides, you wouldn't be able to get on your corset."

Zelda squeaked, "Corset?"

**…**

Luckily, Malver wasn't as overzealous to play dolls as much as Joanne was to Zelda. Link stepped out from behind a dressing screen. "How is-?"

Malver suddenly swooped in on him like a vulture, pulling and prodding Link's clothing. Link jumped as the stylist tugged up on Link's tunic so it would be slightly baggy above his belt. "Now this won't do," he muttered. "Don't be so finicky!" he growled as he tried again.

"I'm sorry… it's just-! I can… I can get it. Seriously!"

He shook his head. "I must get this right! Madame Freezia was very particular on her instructions. Now hold still!" he growled as he began fussing with Link's belt.

However, instead of following instruction, Link writhed and wiggled until he was able to dance away, his hat unsatisfactorily lopsided on his head. About a minute later, he was cornered with nowhere to run.

**…**

Freezia stood, tapping her fingers against her arm as she watched the workmen adjusting the lights until she heard a noise behind her. She turned, grinning as she took note of Link approaching awkwardly a few feet away. He was dressed in the traditional, green Hero of Time outfit from the Twilight Crisis era. His chain mail made no noise as he came forward, gliding in his knee-high boots. "Link, you look marvelous! Now where's Malver…?"

The said man staggered out from behind Link, disheveled, grasping onto a nearby wall. His hair was splayed out madly and his hat was gone. "It… is done," he gasped, exhausted.

Freezia's eyes widened, but chose not to quire as to what had occurred behind the scenes. She brightened when she spotted Joanne. "Ah! There you are, dawling! … Where's Zelda?"

She glanced behind her shoulder at the darkened doorway where Zelda's voice called out, sounding a bit breathy, "I'm not coming out!"

So it was Miss Hykarin… Link began edging toward the plant again. He did _not_ need anyone seeing him like this. Freezia, however, grabbed him by the back of his tunic. Foiled!

The tan-skinned Hylian said enthusiastically, "Come on! You look great!"

"No thank you!"

"Oh, come on, love, your hero isn't that hard to look at!" the camera man called.

Link turned a deep shade of crimson as he squirmed futilely again as he noticed Joanne doing sudden shut-up motions at the camera man. "She's nervous! And there's a man out here!" she mouthed.

Freezia sighed as she walked toward Malver. "Hold him," she muttered before going to where Zelda was hiding and pulling her out. Link stopped struggling as he caught sight of her.

He blinked slowly as he recognized the Princess of Destiny's outfit that was also from the Twilight Crisis era, much like his. Most of her blonde hair fell behind her in a curtain while two braids came around to rest on her shoulders. He blinked again. The blue gems on her diadem and jewelry really, for some reason, wouldn't let Link turn away from the bright violet light that was Zelda's eyes. The gold shoulder pieces and thulian pink turned her pale skin into a tawny-hinted porcelain. The color rose in Link's cheeks as he watched her.

"Zelda, you look divine," Freezia said happily, clapping her hands together once.

Link, who had stood silently off, suddenly shook his head and began struggling again. _Bad, Link! That's your _student_! What are you thinking? Not okay! Not! Okay!_

"Mr. Alavryn?" Zelda asked in shock as her violet orbs shot to meet his blue ones.

"Miss Hykarin?" Link froze. He had been caught. "Uh… When you told me you worked here… You're a model?" Link asked incredulously, his ears tinted slightly red at the tips. What was she doing here?

"What? No! No! No! I work as a cashier at the placey place and the… the… Well…. The model and I… Do you like it?" Zelda finally asked, giving a small, wobbly curtsey.

"It looks nice," Link said with a small, nervous smile.

"Oh, thanks. Do… you work as a model?" Zelda kept her gaze fixed firmly on Link's face as she attempted to avoid checking if his _Romani's_ figure was accented in this outfit as well.

"NO! Oh, heaven's no!" Link laughed nervously. "I, uh… It's an odd job… You remember at _Romani's_ when Freezia talked to me?"

_Yes… Yes I do_. Zelda thought slowly as she briefly remembered the Eye Game. "Y-yeah."

"Well… This is what she wanted me to do…"

"Oh… I can see why…" Zelda practically whispered.

"What?" Link asked.

"Nothing!" Zelda jumped, laughing nervously. "Uh… So, uh…"

"Well, uh…" Link started slowly. Both stopped and then laughed nervously.

Just then a figure entered the room. "Well, well, check out the little lovebirds."

"Oh," Link said blandly as he glared at the figure. "Hello, Ganon."

Zelda wanted to drop dead. "Mr. Dragmire?" she asked incredulously. Was it just the weekend for all of Zelda's teachers to show up at this one location to humiliate her?

The male Gerudo grinned evilly. "Hello, Miss Hykarin. Alavryn. You look ridiculous."

"Well, you look dapper," Link said with a friendly grin.

Ganondorf glared. "And I see you sound ridiculous as well."

Link chuckled. "Always the gentleman, aren't you?"

Mr. Dragmire ground his teeth together.

"So you know each other?" Freezia intervened, looking between the two men: Ganondorf's looming, angry figure and Link's sudden relaxed state. "Good friends?" she asked.

"The best," Ganondorf growled as he pulled Link into a half hug and forcing a smile on his face.

"Oh, yeah. We even went to college together," Link added.

Zelda blinked, hearing the sarcasm. Was that fact or fiction? She never wanted that math to add up.

"I'm glad to hear it. I hope your… 'friendship' won't get in the way of pretending to be mortal enemies…" Freezia said slowly, with a hint of sarcasm, as she started towards the set.

"Not a problem," Link said. "Right, Ganon?"

"Of course not, Alavryn." They glared at each other.

Zelda gulped. This was going to be a long and uncomfortable photo shoot.

**…**

Regardless of Zelda's premonitions, the pictures went relatively well. However, Zelda did notice Link inching away from the cameras every time he heard a click go off. Freezia also had to pull him away from a plant in the corner after break was over. Although, when they did fighting scenes with Ganondorf, Link suddenly came to life and the two grabbed their fake weapons and actually went at it.

During the hour that went on, Ganondorf would make lunges at Zelda and Link would grab her around the shoulders or waist and pull her defensively behind him as he attempted to do damage with a plastic sword. Something about the intensity of that section seemed a little too fierce. It wasn't rehearsed at all.

It was after Ganondorf was dismissed that things started getting…

**…**

Freezia grimaced as she turned to face the remaining models. Now she was left with the difficult ones… Well, no point in beating around the bush. "Alright you two," she started slowly. "You are acting in the stead of the Hero of Time and the Princess of Destiny… You're supposed to be madly in love, so… Just let me do the positioning and you can do the faces. Deal?"

Zelda's eyes widened. Madly in love? With… Link? Oh, no… Her face suddenly heated.

Surprisingly, after the first several scenes of heart-racing, light-headedness, Zelda was finally able to swallow her internal struggles and just put up with having to hold Link's hand, the knight's oath…

When they started holding arms or linking elbows, Link would stare over Zelda's head firmly. Occasionally, he would fidget from his position and Zelda could feel the discomfort coming off him in waves. But then, when they would call for the photo to begin, his eyes would snap back down and Zelda had to turn away due to the sudden intensity.

So it really wasn't _that_ bad… then there came the final photo.

"Okay, Zelda, just reach your arms around Link's neck, lean your head against him and we'll be done for the day."

Zelda froze as her brain began to melt. Do what now?

Link, who stood next to her, became visibly rigid.

Freezia rolled her eyes as she marched up to Zelda and looped her arms around Link's neck. "Now," she said, now that she was satisfied with the arm position. "Just lean your head against his chest.

Link's mind froze. He blinked mechanically. How was he supposed to react to this exactly? He'd never been hugged by a girl before… Well, besides his family members anyways. Unable to make a concrete decision, he allowed Freezia to do the positioning.

"Closer..." Freezia prompted.

Zelda felt her heart doing summersaults and back flips as her mind screamed for a resounding no. But she still complied. She felt her ears brush the fabric.

"Now, Zelda, just lean in… Just a little closer… Hon," Freezia said, exasperated. "I just want you to put your head against his chest. It isn't that hard."

Zelda internally took a deep breath and she closed the gap between Link and herself. She sat for a moment, feeling her body go stiff and numb until she recognized the sound of life beneath her. She blinked slowly a few times as heat seeped into her cheek.

_Ba-Dump._

This sound, this person in front of her was Link Alavryn… _graduated early from school, worked multiple jobs… knows a lot about the Triforce… green's his favorite color… _She closed her eyes as the tempo of his heart gradually slowed down as if trying to memorize it. _Link… he loves milk… cooking… hates bee larvae… knows swordplay…_ The pine smell from _Romani's_ flooded her nostrils as she felt her hand move up to rest against his chest. The tempo picked up again. _Pine… is camera shy… people shy… Link Alavryn…_

_ Ba-Dump._

_Is my substitute teacher… _She opened her eyes slowly as her mind began to clear. She tilted her head up to peek at Link's reaction. However, when she moved her head to face skyward, she only found his gazing back down at hers. His azure eyes blinked slowly as if he couldn't quite process what was happening either with his arms around her.

It was the click of the camera that made the world come crashing down. Zelda's face, which had been a decent shade of red during the moment, turned deep crimson as she and Link quickly pulled away, each looking in different directions.

Freezia smiled. "Thank you. That was all we needed."

**…**

Everything was in a haze. Zelda could hardly remember dropping Link off at his next workplace and how Midna kept demanding to know what was so important that she had to leave her alone with the "three nightmares." So it took Zelda a while to notice that Midna had gone silent.

"Zelda… Did something happen? With Link, I mean? You guys were acting kinda funny…" Midna eyed her friend suspiciously, looking for any reaction.

Zelda shook her head. Everything was so fuzzy, everything but the road and the sound of Link's heartbeat, still pounding away in her ears. "Nothing huge. Why?"

Midna frowned, her disappointment evident. "No reason…"

**…**

"You should let him think about it longer!" Kotake's image said when Ganondorf told them the results of his latest Daltus visit.

"No, you should give him less time!" Koume vehemently disagreed. "Don't give him time to think of a plan!"

"Well I'm older and I say more," Kotake snarled at her sister.

Koume shook her head. "Ganondorf, where were you today? We haven't seen you for most of the evening."

Ganondorf grinned and shrugged. "I was offered an odd job downtown. And who else would be there but our favorite pain in the side?" When the Twinrova grinned, he added, "And Hykarin's little girl."

"That would have been the perfect opportunity to attack!" Koume exclaimed, throwing her arms in frustration.

Ganondorf shook his head, scowling. "Oh, I wanted to, but I cannot just blatantly attack them out in public. Especially with a camera around to provide the evidence… That would get me pushed away from the school and that cannot happen until I have the information I need…"

Koume pouted as her sister spoke, "Longer is better to wait with Daltus. He'll crack easier the next time he gets interrogated. You've been drilling him for so long he's becoming weaker. Besides, he has more weaknesses that can be prodded. Just give time."

He shook his head. "Monday was the deadline. And when it comes around, it'll be lights out for Hykarin."

Kotake scowled. "And what will you do even if you do succeed in killing the girl? What will you do if he doesn't crack? He'll only become adamant at her martyrdom and you'd have to go through all the trouble of tracking the new Bearer down. Plus it'd give Alavryn all the reason he'd need to bring you down."

Ganondorf huffed. "Alavryn will get what's coming to him. And, if he tries to get in my way… then he'll suffer the consequences." He cracked his knuckles and his magic stirred with sick pleasure as he added, "We're long overdue for a real rumble."

Koume and Kotake exchanged glances.

"But we'll need to plan for what will happen. If you were to fail, we need a valid reason for them to be incapable of firing you… Or, at the very least, arresting you. Shall we summon the King Dodongo?" Kotake grinned maliciously. "He has been… tamed as of late. For our causes, of course."

Koume frowned. "Why not just summon something more… helpful…?"  
>"Doesn't work," Ganondorf said with a sigh. Even as he said it he gave his magic a hopeful tug, but nothing happened besides his stomach twisting itself into a pretzel. "Perhaps a creature more subtle than the Dodongo King?"<p>

The Twinrova sighed. And Kotake mumbled a warning as a new thought occurred to her, "Your ability to control the monsters around you is your biggest hand at this point in time… because of your threat against Daltus, if you were to sick a monster on the girl, it would be blown…"

"So I have to attack Hykarin on my own?" Ganondorf said slowly. "That will definitely cause me to lose my job…"

"And get you arrested if you don't play this right," Kotake said harshly.

"I can handle this," Ganondorf said impatiently.

"We said to rough him up a bit, give him incentive, not put an expiration date on his daughter's life!" Koume exclaimed. For once she agreed with her sister on this.

"It's because of that stupid threat that we're stuck in this situation: no information, running out of time and nowhere to go."

"Well, they can't fire me if I do this…" Ganondorf quickly explained his plan.

Kotake growled. "You still threatened his daughter. That in itself is enough. Fulfill your threat and you're a goner. Then we'll be stuck with the original plan: bother the Alavryn boy!"

"Unless…" Ganondorf said slowly, his eyes lightening as a thought struck him. "I can get my information before I have to fulfill my promise… Then it won't matter either way as long as I don't get arrested."

**…**

Aryll's stomach twisted uncomfortably and she shuddered as a dark feeling made her skin crawl. She glanced at Zelda, wishing for the plan to take root. She bit her lip as she turned to Midna, who had sensed her discomfort.

_What could be so bad at school that I would feel this way? Usually I wouldn't care if Zelda was scared of Link, but… What if…? No…_

Midna and Aryll kept their gaze locked, both thinking the same questions and, eventually the same answer, which, though left unspoken and repressed behind tense lips, spoke volumes. Time was running short…

"So what do you guys think the answer is for Question twenty-five on Shad's assignment? I think I got it, but… I just want to double check with you guys." Zelda glanced up from her work in time to miss the exchange.

Midna shrugged. "C? I don't know."

"That's what I got," Aryll said slowly.

Zelda smiled, nodding. "Same here!"

_Can she not sense what's coming? Or does she just not want to?_ Aryll wondered vaguely as her friend continued to work.

She and Midna exchanged quick glances as the light of headlights flashed briefly through the blinds. Aryll smiled as she spoke, "You know, I just realized that Grandma probably needs my help getting ready for bed tonight. Elderly, you know." She stood, her eyes on Zelda but keeping her peripherals on the door.

Midna stood as well. "I certainly do. You need backup in case she decides to bring out the 'White Ninja' again?"

Aryll laughed nervously. "Um… Zelda, would you mind terribly? It would only take us a few minutes… ten max."

Zelda smiled. "I understand. You two can go help Grandma Alavryn. I'll just wait here until you're done. And if I have to leave, I'll be sure to tell you."

The scheming duo grinned at their friend as they quickly took their exit to their aforementioned destination, where Grandma Pearl stood, waiting for the inevitable to unfold.

Zelda glanced around boredly for a moment before the front door suddenly opened. Her head popped up and she felt her heart skip erratically.

Link stood in the doorway, his _Romani's _vest was unbuttoned and hanging loosely from his shoulders as he waved to something in the darkness before closing the door. She heard a small sigh escape from his figure before he turned to face her, his eyes betraying his surprise. "Oh. Miss Hykarin, what are you doing here?" He quickly redid the buttons in an attempt to appear presentable.

She couldn't help but smile. That hint of shyness from the photo shoot was back again. "Just hanging out with Aryll and Midna. They went… to do something." Zelda wasn't sure why she didn't tell Link what, but she quickly shook it off as Link gave a nod and turned towards the kitchen. She felt the corners of her mouth tug down, her heart sagged._ Say something, Zel…_

**…**

Orange tongues of flame flickered, growing lower by the minute as a green-haired woman sat, casted foot propped up, gazing into its dying embers. A frown was on her lips as she sense the changing in the air. Her Book of Secrets, which she had summoned to her, was flipping through pages restlessly as if trying to make up its mind.

Farore finally ripped her gaze from the fire to face her blue-haired sister, who simply sighed, confirming Farore's thoughts.

**…**

Daltus shook his head slowly and turned away from the mirror, turning the sink off as he did so. He hung his head, his hands shaking and his mind in turmoil. He didn't know _anything_… Should he ask Link for his memories…?

No, if he did that then all of Hyrule would fall. But if he didn't…

He gripped the side of the sink's basin and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the feeling of crushing weight on his shoulders. Hyrule or his daughter? He bit back a broken noise that pressured its way to his lips.

In this secret war, hidden from the community, too many things were being sacrificed, too many lives had already been ruined. But this wasn't a decision Daltus had any control over. This much he knew, even if the Three couldn't tell him so directly.

"Link, please… Keep your promise… Don't let Ganondorf hurt her…"

**…**

Zelda smiled to herself as she lay in bed that night, mentally reviewing everything that had transpired that day and completely oblivious to the tortured silence of her father. _I was totally wrong about you, Link… _Who knew that there was so little she knew about him? _This must be what Midna felt like after FAT…_ she pondered silently. Zelda grinned again as she rolled over to face away from the moonlight that filtered in from across the room. _Who knew what a few cameras could teach me?_

* * *

><p><strong>If any of you care, but didn't notice: I HAVE WRITTEN A SECOND ZELINK STORY! READ IT DARN IT! :D<strong>

**WhiteXIII:** So... What'd you guys think? *Looks at MangaMaid* What are you doing?

**MangaMaid:** Mass producing WhiteXIII translators. Apparently they're on demand.

**WhiteXIII:** Wuh-I-Ee-, buh...

**MangaMaid:** *Holds up translator* "What the? Why?" See, it'll be very lucrative. Then, everyone can understand you. Anyone who leaves a virtual cookie gets one!

**WhiteXIII:** HEY!

**Review Responses:**

_anon1_: I'm kinda obsessed with the number 13… ^^' My lucky number! Don't be eaten internally! You and Zelda will both get answers… eventually… :D

_random reviewer:_ Haha. I'm glad that you enjoy the story so much! What did you think of the latest addition?

_Guest3:_ Thanks! I'm glad that you enjoy it so much, 300th. How did you like the last chapter? Do you have a favorite quote?

_SarcasticMustache:_ Your comments are always so helpful. It seriously makes my day and writing so worthwhile when I have readers who have specific things they enjoy or are thinking about. It is so cool!

1.) Yes! You totally get it. I'm glad things are coming across because my head honestly starts to spin when I have to write how a character thinks. Especially Ganondorf. I'm not evil, I swear! … Completely anyways. XP

2.) Both ways in which you mean the protagonists also don't know a lot?

3.) Okay, good. That is probably what makes the most nervous because I'm trying to develop a handful of realistic personalities in my head. I'm so glad you like Daltus! He's a minor character so he's actually more difficult since I don't put a lot of stock into him. I love how intuitive and observant you are, especially with all the little details. Sometimes I get frustrated because I say something (even blatantly) and people still don't get it. I love it that you do and point it out for me! You make my writing totally worth it!

4.) Again, I'm glad. Reading this review helped me to keep my head intact at times since a lot of people love fluff and this story really isn't at that stage yet. It'll come, just not right now.

5.) I think Link would just be a little too omnipotent if he didn't have some flaws like being oblivious and scatter-brained. I'm glad all the concepts are fun and realistic enough. Sometimes I get headaches from trying to get all the little details to fit together and work cohesively. My favorite Legend of Zelda game would definitely be Twilight Princess. So far, it's the only one I've been able to complete… Sadly. I've played several, but I think it's the wolf that really drove me. I love those creatures. They're so beautiful. Plus, I felt really attached to Colin and Rusl so I really wanted to help them. :) Skyward Sword is cool, but it is a whole lot harder than TP. And I miss the wolves. ^^"

6.) What kind of questions did you have at the beginning? Yay pace! I'm glad you feel it's going well. That's very comforting for me actually since it's something I'm thinking about consistently. I'm always wanting to go faster because there are some really fun parts that I want to write. No spoilers, though. Sorry!

7.) So true. It's also kinda fun this way. It's a war that only a handful of people are involved in.

8.) Yeah, it was meant to be pretty vague. It even was kinda confusing for me as I tried to find a balance between vague and information. One word: light-headedness! But I'm glad that it gives you a part in the fic as well. I hate it when authors hold my hand through a piece so I wanted you guys to think a little, see if you could figure out what was going to happen. Haha… Um… good question. The Book of Secrets essentially holds any and every secret ever had. It's safe to read your own secrets because, obviously, you already know them. That's what's been explained so far and there is more to come on what exactly makes the book dangerous. That was just an intro to what it does.

Again, thanks for your time and effort into creating all of your reviews. I love them so much and read them multiple times for inspiration while writing. Keep being awesome! -WhiteXIII

_Blablablahdiblablha__:_ Do you mind if I call you Prince Blabl? Just randomly. Anyways, I'm glad that you enjoy my insanity! Er... Humor. ^^ I'm sorry you've had so many disappointing days. Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait. What did you think of it? Favorite part? Line?

_Guest1:_ Haha. Thanks that's really nice of you to say. :D Yeah, summer has been… persistently full this year. ^^' I hope this chapter was worth the wait! What did you think?

_Guest2:_ Yes, I do realize that Malon is human. But, if you check my author's notes, it does explain. And I will do so again. The Malon I'm actually basing her off of is from Oracle of Seasons and she is human in there. I only noted her as being from Ocarina of Time because that is where she is most commonly known. She is human because it balances out the friend group.

**Gray Sparkles:** I'm glad that you love this story/chapter so much and that you had something specific in mind! That really rocks my world whenever reviewers do that. The next chapter should be out by the end of the month!

**whosahassa:** Yeah, I'll forgive you. :) Should I start putting on warning labels? WARNING: Hyrule Academy may cause severe laughter (to the point of death or tears), nonsensical banter and random dancing. :) Brain blocks hate me and so does my schedule. But the next chapter should be out before the end of the month!

**Character Index:** (There actually is one, guys!)

Mila: The Wind Waker

Mercie: Phantom Hourglass (Mercay's Store Businesswoman)

Gina: Phantom Hourglass (Goron Island Store Businesswoman)

Molly: Phantom Hourglass (Molida's Store Businesswoman)

Joanne: Phantom Hourglass

Malver: Twilight Princess

**REVIEW!**


	16. Chapter 15

**WhiteXIII: **Surprise! I actually was almost done with this by the end of last month… STUPID, RIGHT? Why do the brain blocks stop for the first half? I don't know. I don't question fate… Just get annoyed. Anyways! Guess who's still here!

**MangaMaid:** *packing* Hi! This is the last chapter in which I will physically be here… for a while at least. I'll be back in Winter!

**XIII:** T-T Yeah, she's leaving me… Sniffle!

**MangaMaid:** I have to go…

**WhiteXIII:** I know. My author's notes will just get so lonely… and sparse… ^^'

**MangaMaid:** You know you can get a hold of me, right?

**WhiteXIII:** And I shall! I feel better now. Anyways, THANKS TO: Hakan Kurohi, Miss Ashlynn, GlissGirl99, Mizunou, Katie, Blablablahdiblab, Spaz-attack101, THISISSPARTAAAAAAAAA, Andy, Maraya Prower, SupernalGodzilla, SirJoshizzle, A Shadow's Lament, HeroofTwilight'sgf, Great Angemon, EtnernalNight1212, Sapphiet, themightyweasel, Nint3ndozzzz, Amychama248, Screen, Esparia, Eternity. Soul, Lost In Dreams19, dorkyreader859, Lady Fai, sora'scollection, don't forget me 13 30, dragoness of storm, Pipcorn, Bleachshowlover1, Fearful Shadows, KitaiKnight97, Lil' Miss Wise, éclair. belmont, shad999, Evasme, PrincesaMia, Guest, GameCivilization, MoonLiger, ZeLink-fevah-28, Neko x3, Nikki1066, LZfanatic12, LordTuxedo, drakoth23, whosahassa, ZeldaMoogle, teamsaria, and GlissGirl99 FOR EVERYTHING!

Oh, and due to much popular demand: **WARNING:** Hyrule Academy may cause laughter, nonsensical banter and, in severe cases, random dancing. Other side affects may include strange looks from mothers and other various witnesses, and all night readings.

ENJOY!

* * *

><p>Chapter 15<p>

_**Monday**_

"If you go through with this plan and it fails, then…" Koume started cautiously as Ganondorf paced back and forth in his office in the Boys' Locker rooms.

"I know, I know." He stopped pacing and glared at first at the useless computer and then the door in front of him. "But I cannot afford to make empty threats. Otherwise, the Aurea will not take me seriously. Besides," he scowled darkly as he headed towards the door. "I'm tired of waiting."

**…**

Daltus grasped his hands together, the fingers criss-crossing and squeezing against each other as he attempted to steel himself. Ganondorf was coming. The inevitable was approaching.

Zelda's end was imminent.

His knuckles were white as he succeeded in crushing the life out of them. However, even with the blood missing in his fingers, no matter how he thought of the situation, it was still horrid the moment his awful, bulky figure slammed the door shut.

"I'm tired of waiting, Daltus. Tell me what you know," the red-headed Gerudo smirked, sure he already knew the answer.

Principal Daltus Hykarin looked Ganondorf in the eye, his heart threatening to rip as he muttered, "No."

Ganondorf blinked a few times before a cold fury caught fire in his chest. "I hope you have a tombstone picked out for your little girl." He turned, but paused at the door. "And if you mention this conversation to Alavryn, the police or anyone for that matter… Your wife is next."

And with that he left the room, leaving Daltus to collapse against the chair's back. The minutes were ticking. How long did Zelda have now? Mr. Hykarin bit his lip as he tried to piece together the best possible explanation to his wife why he had to sign their only daughter's death sentence.

**PERIOD: 1. CLASS: Health. ROOM: 111. TEACHER: Mr. Renado Pikes.**

Midna wasn't sure what, but her gut was screaming it was the truth: something _had_ happened yesterday. Link and Zelda had been really quiet, not even the annoying awkward quiet, which had quickly become the norm, it was just… quiet. And it was driving Midna crazy! What had she missed? What had changed?

She scowled at her Hylian friend in sheer annoyance. How was the plan supposed to work if she and Aryll had no control or knowledge over events? She blinked as the lights flickered on and the movie ended.

"Well that was exciting," Zelda muttered as she stretched, bringing the blood back to her arms.

Midna laughed humorlessly. "Yeah, you gotta love those random videos about how a heart attack works."

"At least it wasn't _the_ evil film," Zelda said with a shudder.

Midna nodded in agreement. No further words were needed. "Anyways, so… What exactly happened at work yesterday? Why didn't you ever come back? And why were you so quiet afterwards?"

"Why are you so interested?" Zelda asked, puzzled and a little unnerved. Did Midna know about that last photo? _Freezia made me!_ She internally defended herself.

The Twili scowled. "Because you left me with the three talkative nightmares! I think you at least owe me the pleasure of telling me what you were doing."

Zelda paused for a moment, internally agreeing that she'd want Midna to do the same if she were in her shoes. "Well… Freezia had me go somewhere else and to do an odd job." _Somewhere else being the very back of the store where she keeps her photography area, but… that still counts as elsewhere…_

"Oh," Midna's eyes widened. "Was Link there or something and that's why you guys were being all quiet yesterday?" When Zelda gave her a semi-panicked look, Midna added rather grumpily, "He didn't tell me anything either."

"Yes," Zelda said, biting the inside of her cheek. "We wound up working together for a little bit."

Midna's eyes lightened with interest. "Really? What'd you think of him?"

Zelda shrugged non-committal as she turned to pack her things up for the next class. "He's still a total stranger to me, Midna."

The orange-haired female scowled and gave a quiet, disappointed sigh. "I see…"

Zelda bit her lip as she recalled the events of the previous weekend. Her mind began to reel, _Can you actually be a total stranger to someone once you've listened to their heart beat for about two minutes? When you've watched them struggle through a situation? When you've seen that part of someone that was just so… vulnerable and sweet?_ She shook her head suddenly as she remembered the conversation she had shared with Link after Midna and Aryll's disappearance to help Pearl. _Not now!_ She mentally chided herself, but grinned at Midna, who seemed to just notice her strange behavior.

"See you later, Mid!" Zelda grinned as the bell rang, saving her from any further possible explanations.

"Yeah… Later," Midna said slowly, deeply confused. Upon spotting Aryll in the hallway, Midna gave her a confused look and muttered a quick, "Good luck," before heading off to class.

**PERIOD: 2. CLASS: Ancient Hylian. ROOM: 117. TEACHER: Biggoron Absconditus.**

Aryll bit her lip as Mr. Ditus started up the lesson with another Minute To Win It translation on the board. Precious candy was on the line, any sugar treat was rare in the Academy, so of course many students were psyched as they attempted vainly to translate the simple sentence with only that image in mind.

Zelda, who should have been interested in the time limit at least, seemed completely disinterested and chose instead to bury herself in the book she had gotten from the Library last week. Sugar didn't hold much interest for her.

Nor for Aryll, it seemed, as she set her mind to a more challenging task, but first… _start out nice and slow…_ "I thought you would've finished that one by now," Aryll started lightly. "You usually eat through books in a good twenty-four hours."

Zelda looked up, blinking slowly as if confused by the real world around her. She finally managed a shrug. "I haven't had a lot of time for reading. A lot of stuff has been happening… Besides, I want to enjoy this one…"

Aryll double-checked the title. _The Ocarina of Time._ It was the same one as a week ago… "I don't blame you," she nodded slowly. "Stories about the Hero of Time and Princess of Destiny are stretched relatively thin."

Zelda grinned. "And the good ones are even scarcer."

The two friends laughed for a moment as the competition came to an end and the candy was placed a little too emphatically in its drawer since no one had beaten the challenge. Ignoring this, Aryll continued, "So where are you exactly?"

"The Hero of Time just finished fighting the war with the King of Hyrule to defeat the King of Darkness," Zelda muttered as she forced herself to turn away from the enticing pages.

Aryll chuckled. "That's a good part… Well, happy reading to you. I'll take notes… Like you'd need them anyway."

Zelda grinned as she turned back to the book, happily losing herself to the confusing world around her. Quickly allowing her to temporarily abandon her mixed thoughts about a certain blond Hylian.

She had the one in the book, who had just returned from war and from recovery to worry about.

_Princess Zelda's eyes softened as her Hero's figure appeared from the Infirmary's doors, the staggering limp in his gait was now hardly visible. His eyes flashed up, his whole face lightening as a genuine smile spread across his face._

"_Link… Welcome back," the Princess spoke quietly as if this moment would break._

_Link bowed his head slightly as he approached. "Did you have any doubts that I would leave you behind, Zelda?"_

_Zelda slowly shook her head at his playing demeanor. Even the Three must have told him at this point what must be done... "You think you can keep that promise again?" she finally whispered._

_ She allowed her Hero to take hold of her hand, his fingers brushing over hers tenderly. "I will always return to you," he said quietly, his eyes reflecting their somber mood._

_ Wordless, the two grasped hands and started towards the Royal Gardens. Zelda felt her throat tighten as they entered her favorite spot, hidden amongst the now-flowering bushes where they had met as children… Seven years that he had slept away in order to come end this war once and for all. Five years of war…_

_ Sensing her thoughts, Link gave a gentle squeeze. "You know I would give those twelve years up again and again, don't you?"_

_ Zelda felt heat press against the back of her lids and she swallowed her misery. "Yes, but I could never live with myself if I allowed you to live without those seven lost years…" Her violet eyes focused on him as she continued, "That's why you must return home, warn my father of Ganondorf's treachery…"_

_ Link nodded. "And return to you. I swear, when that happens… I will be worthy."_

_ "You always were…" Zelda muttered. "Even though most here will forget you… my father will remember his promise…" The Princess held the blue instrument up and Link nodded, slowly taking steps back. The place where Link stood warped into blue and golden light as time unlocked itself around him, ready to take him back._

_ Zelda, whose eyes had been closed, looked to Link, pausing in creating the portal to watch her Hero slowly fade into its depths. "Link, I-" Her eyes suddenly widened, the Ocarina fell from her hands. Before Link could release his cry of rage and agony, Princess Zelda dropped motionless to the ground and the portal closed around him, forcing him to lose consciousness in a flash of blurred blue-gold._

_End._

Zelda blinked slowly. That couldn't be the end! She just died! The blonde Hylian pouted visibly as she set the book down. Where was the next one when she needed it?

Aryll grinned, seeing that Zelda had finally reached the first book's end. "So, what'd you think?" she asked quietly, slipping Zelda the assignment that had been passed out five minutes ago.

"That ending sucked," Zelda muttered, disgruntled.

Aryll chuckled quietly. "It's kinda supposed to. You gonna read the next one?"

"Obviously!" Zelda exclaimed faintly. "The Princess of Destiny and The Hero of Time actually got to be married and have the possibility of having their happily ever after and then she gets murdered! Who in their right mind would leave it at that?"

The blue-eyed Hylian laughed, shaking her head as she pushed the paper towards her friend again. "Come on, you'd better focus and get this done or else Mr. Ditus won't be happy that I convinced him to let you read the class period away."

Zelda grinned, sheepish that she had been caught, and accepted the paper, easily finishing it before class's end.

**PERIOD: Lunch. PLACE: Outside.**

"It's so good, right?" Saria exclaimed as Zelda finished explaining her reaction to the ending. "I seriously went out and bought the next book, I couldn't wait."

Zelda nodded feverishly. "It was so depressing, though!"

"They're pretty animated…" Midna said slowly, eyeing her two usually quiet friends with mild fear in her gaze.

Aryll laughed. "Yeah, Zelda finished reading a book that Saria pointed out to her and that's all she can think about."

Midna scowled as she took her seat. "Didn't you ask her about…?"

Her blonde ponytail flipped back and forth as Aryll shook her head. "You know if she doesn't want to talk about something there's nothing we can do, right?"

The Twili scowled in response, but sighed regardless. "Yeah, yeah, I know…"

Oblivious of Midna and Aryll's exchange, Saria continued, "Yeah, but wasn't it totally worth it when, a year into the war, Zelda announced at her father's declaration that she needed to marry, she would only take Link?! It was _so_ sweet." Saria looked as if she had just reached Cloud Nine.

Zelda laughed. "It was about time," she corrected playfully. "Besides, that little tidbit only makes the ending all the worse! Link had to watch his wife get murdered in front of his eyes!"

"Mr. Alavryn's married?!" Ruto gasped, coming to a shrieking halt in whatever conversation she was hosting. "I thought he was single!"

Aryll choked on her orange juice as she narrowly avoided a spit take. "What?" she gasped.

Midna laughed. "Ruto, they're talking about a _book_. Not Link our substitute."

Ruto sighed, as if disappointed. "Oh. A book… right." She was silent for a moment before adding thoughtfully, "Speaking of Mr. Alavryn… Don't you guys think that he looks a little different today?" Her brow furrowed as she munched on her sushi.

Zelda and Saria finally faced the rest of the table, their conversation having ended.

Nabooru quirked a confused brow. "Like what? You mean the fact that his glasses are gone?"

Zelda averted her gaze to look at the trees, whose leaves were turning orange and red right and left, around their little outdoor table. Glasses? What glasses? She didn't know what they're talking about… But what Ruto said was true… He did look a little younger… His eyes were a little softer, less worn. Zelda furrowed her brow, concentrating on any past details she could remember.

"Well, obviously that, but…" Ruto shook her head slowly. "I don't know. Something more than that…" She frowned and gulped down the last of her food. "He just looks… younger somehow."

Aryll looked as if she was still trying to recover from her near-choke encounter. Midna laughed. "Yeah, that kinda happens when you don't wear glasses, Ruto."

The Zoran female scowled but said nothing more on the subject. "But why are you two so excited about a book? I thought that we were making so much progress, Sar! You were finally starting to talk about boys!"

Saria turned a deep shade of red. "O-one date hardly counts!"

Ruto grinned, pointing her chopsticks at the green-haired girl. "It's more like five and you know it! Now you just need to help me get Zelda to start dating boys instead of books and academics!"

Zelda frowned. "I like books…"

"And that, my dear Zellie, is the problem. Isn't there any guy you've even been remotely interested in?

Zelda dead-panned. "Ruto… You know the answer to that."

Ruto laughed nervously after a moment. "Oh, right…" She suddenly perked up as she moved on to her second favorite topic, "Oh, my gosh! Did you guys see those totally cute shoes at FTW's the other day!?"

Zelda sighed. She had missed a bullet. Never again would she call Ruto for a boy crisis.

**PERIOD: 3 CLASS: Magic and Divination ROOM: 438 TEACHER: Madame Fanadi.**

"Alright, class. Today, we will be discussing types, levels and shapes of magic," Fanadi started slowly.

The class groaned. Although this was supposed to be common knowledge, it was relatively difficult to understand at times. Apparently Fanadi's typical perfume-induced drunken state was tamed enough that she could give an actual lesson today. It was either that or the potions from last class had cured her.

Fanadi ignored the students' moans, evidentially not cured enough to notice. "As you may have learned in a past History lesson, each deity contributed something different to Hyrule's creation. It is believed that, based on what each brought, each element was created and favored by one over another. It is based on these favored magical types that each Genre we know today is in use."

The class sat, bug-eyed as if they had just been forced to ingest a relatively large and disliked pill. This was the only required class in the whole Academy that wasn't hard… or at least not supposed to be. But now… Midna grimly thought, _Welcome to Headache Land! The land of ailments and force-fed learning! _

"Now, if everyone would take out their notes, we will begin on our journey!" There was the hint of Fanadi. Apparently she wasn't being impersonated.

The lights flickered off and images appeared on the wall at a wave of Fanadi's hand. The class blinked in confusion. They had heard that Fanadi had powerful magic, but it had never really been evident with her crazy talk on potions.

"First, we will start off with my magic patroness, Nayru."

_**Nayru**: The Magic of Light_

_Defense_

_Ancient Genre_

_Favored Elements: Water, Light_

_ -Panacea (Light = Healing)_

_ -Aqueous (Water)_

_ -Ancient (All of the above)_

Gazing at Nayru's name and puzzling over her best known ability, one very befuddled girl asked, "But what about the Hero of Time? Wasn't Farore's his patroness? How come he could pass through time?"

"Ah, that's a very good question, young one," Fanadi said, smiling dreamily. Yep. Definitely not impersonated. "Actually, the Hero could not choose his destination through time. Whenever he placed the Master Sword back into its pedestal, it took him back seven years before he was ready to be the Hero and when he took it up, he went forward those seven years and became the Hero once more. He never chose the destination."

"Well, what about the Hero of Ages?" a Sheikah boy asked. "He traveled through time at will. He went back a few hundred years."

"That was because Nayru blessed him to wield her Item of Power: The Harp of Ages. Which, of course, allows the bearer to travel to and from certain time periods that Nayru sets. Mortals are not meant to mess with the time stream. Horrible things often occur when such comes about. Only her chosen Bearer would be able to use Time magic, and only at her digression."

Annoyed, the Kokiri girl from before shot her hand in the air and spoke without being addressed. "But what about the time when the Hero of Time when to _Termina_?! He was able to choose how far ahead or how slow time was going to move."

"Not exactly," Fanadi said. "He was only able to slow time until the moon would fall. Why that was the deciding factor, no one was ever sure. He also could not control how slow time would become, whereas the Bearer of Wisdom could have frozen time or drawn out the three day period to, perhaps, a period of weeks, months, even years. The same factors also occurs for how quickly he went forward in time."

_So I can use Time…_? Zelda wondered, ceasing in her note-taking. _But only when Nayru allows it. Hm…_

Satisfied that the class was quiet, though to a stupefied status, she continued, "Next is the Dominion Genre, which was created due to Din's fiery strength she used to forge the land."

_**Din**: Magic of Stability_

_Offense_

_Dominion Genre_

_Favored Elements: Fire, Earth_

_ -Inferno type_

_ -Vale type (earth)_

_ -Dominion type (all of the above)_

"Magic of Stability?" Takeo scoffed. "Don't you mean Magic of Destruction?"

"Takeo!" a Korok girl squeaked. "That's really mean!"

"But it's true! We all know that. Look what happens every time a Bearer of Power emerges! They wreak havoc wherever they go!"

"That being as it may," Fanadi interrupted smoothly, "It is not respectful to treat Din's magic as if it is evil or Dark. Those who seek the Triforce often are overcome by greed for Power and it is that that the Triforce responds to. Din rarely has had opportunities to choose her Bearer because of this. Not all power is corrupt, nor can Power corrupt a single being.

"In your History class, you should have learned previously about the first hero, the Hero of Legend, the one who defeated Demise by wielding all three pieces of the Triforce. He used it for good and look what has become of Hyrule."

Takeo scowled but said nothing more in retort.

"But how is it stability?" Lila asked.

"The earth is home to all life. Without the earth, we would have no basis upon which to progress throughout Nayru's Time and the Life given to us by Farore. Din is the ties that bring all three abilities together in harmony.

"Fire may be seen as evil, but it sustains life as well as ends it. It cleans forests by burning excess; it purifies metals; creates energy when harnessed and even light."

Midna's head thudded dully against the wooden surface of the shared desk. Headache-Land: one, Midna: zero.

Oblivious to the Twili's pain, Fanadi smiled before returning to the board. "And now, for the last magic type…"

_**Farore**: The Magic of Life_

_Offense and Defense_

_Wild Genre_

_Favored Elements: Wind, Plant_

_ -Nature type (plants and Animal Communication)_

_ -Gale type (wind)_

_ -Wild type (all of the above)_

Frowning, Amira spoke, "That's not very fair."

A collection of heads turned to face the Gerudo female. Fanadi tilted her head, approaching the desk and asking, "What isn't 'fair'?"

Feeling the sudden onset of attention, the dark-skinned girl straightened in her seat before indicating to the notes on the board. "It says there that Farore's magic is powerful in offense _and_ defense while Nayru's and Din's only specializes in one each. Why does Farore get so much power? Wouldn't that fall under Din, _the_ patroness of Power; or Nayru, patroness of magic?"

True… The collection turned to their teacher expectantly. Things like this rarely happened around Fanadi, and, for once, a real question was actually being posed.

Her more 'impersonator' side responded, "Farore has the capacity to hold a precarious poise between both defense and offense since it frequently bears the burden of balancing Wisdom and Power. If you think of it in terms of the Triforce, one of each attribute cannot cancel the other out when equal in capability, so a middle-ground has to be made.

"Life is ever changing; creatures forever evolving; the pulse of will and Courage continually urging them forward. Both Stability and Light have their limits, but Life always seems to find a way to overcome impossible odds. Adding to that, life needs both offense and defense in order to get through hard times."

Midna: KO'd.

Still annoyed, the girl asked again, "Yeah, but why does it get both?"

"I said they specialize in those attributes. All casters are capable of Offensive and Defensive magic, but, if you were to talk to someone who was a Panacea type, they would have a better time healing—which is more defense—than injuring their opponents. Now answer me this: if I'm a healer, how would I hurt you?"

"Uh… You can't…" Lila said slowly.

"Exactly. That's why there are certain types of magics that do not fall under certain genres. Shapeshifting, Aegis—also known as light defense—various charms, foresight—though it's actually a gift—and many others. Everything, though some things may seem unfair, are equally balanced in the world."

Amira's hand raised slowly to the air. When indicated to, she asked, "But what about Dark magic? What category would that go under? Where would Sheikah and Twili magic fit in all this?"

Midna suddenly revived as she, and a few Sheikah, glared at the imposing Gerudo. However, before a fight could break loose, Fanadi added, "Magic is not evil when used by a good person. Just as the Twili took Dark magic and turned it good, to Shadow. Although it wasn't necessarily Light, the purpose in of itself is what matters in the long run."

"But isn't Shadow still Dark?" Amira asked stubbornly.

"Sheikah magic was given by Hylia to protect the Princesses of Destiny to come and to combat Demise. So, at this time, their magic is indefinable. And because you know so little of Twili, it falls under Sheikah's Arcane type," Midna grumbled, annoyed. She was not evil! Regardless of what a lot of people may say…

Zelda and Aryll turned to their friend, impressed by the sudden outburst of knowledge. She usually didn't share anything in class.

Fanadi nodded sagely. "Very good. Now, I believe you all recall the class from several weeks back on the basics of magic and Controls that help utilize it. You're going to be split up into groups of three…" Aryll, Midna and Zelda suddenly latched onto each other as did many other friends in the classroom. Amira and Lila grabbed onto each other before looking around, looking a little lost without their third member. Fanadi laughed, "Yes, you may pick your groups. Go ahead and pick a slip of paper for a type of magic Control, define it and interview an individual who employs it."

Midna groaned. "I hate these kinds of assignments…"

"It can't be that bad," Zelda said with a shrug. "This is all really basic stuff, so it shouldn't be a problem."

"At least it's not an assignment on the whole magic structure," Aryll said with a grin.

Midna whimpered at the suggestion. "Don't give her ideas…" As Fanadi approached, Midna whispered, "Not an Alternator… Not an Alternator…"

Zelda looked at the slip of paper, which read: _Alternator._ She bit her lip, trying to restrain a laugh and a groan. "Aryll's right. You really shouldn't say stuff like that, Mid."

The Twili glanced at the slip of paper and banged her head against the desk, her revival period was evidentially over. "That's the hardest one to find," she complained.

Aryll bit her lip as she looked off to the side, seemingly deep in thought.

Zelda shrugged. "Well, Alternators are pretty common…"

"Among Elementary School kids!" Midna groaned. "And the ones who have them are obnoxious! You know what Alternators do!"

Zelda nodded slowly. "Yeah, but we don't have much choice, Mid. I know how much you dislike loud and obnoxious people, but you're not allowed to bring your problem pounding boots. We can't have a repeat of Freshman year."

Midna looked as if Zelda had announced that she'd have to eat Grandma Pearl's cooking for the rest of her life. Aryll suddenly spoke up, "Actually… We don't have to go to the Elementary…"

"We're not going to the prisons, right?" Zelda asked, feeling slightly mortified.

"Yes! I can wear my boots there!" Midna said, smiling again.

Aryll laughed, shaking her head. "Actually, I had a more… pleasant option… for both of you… And we should be able to get a good interview if they'll cooperate…"

"Let's do it!" Midna and Zelda agreed. Whatever Aryll had in mind had to be better than going to a prison, an Elementary school and Grandma's cooking.

The blue-eyed Hylian nodded slowly before adding. "Okay. How about tomorrow morning? I can meet you guys by our lockers."

"Sure," Midna said with a shrug. "Anything's better than Elementary students."

**PERIOD: 4 CLASS: Calculus. ROOM: 201. TEACHER: Mr. Gor Amoto Tridu.**

Halfway through class, Midna was glaring Aryll down and making gestures towards Zelda, who wasn't paying them much attention as she took notes.

Aryll shook her head and mouthed, _It's not gonna work, Midna! Just leave it be!_

Midna mouthed back, _Just do it!_

_You do it!_

_I already did!_ Midna mouthed snappishly. _It's your turn!_

"All done!" Zelda announced happily.

"Great!" Aryll said, grinning. Midna took on her usual math-bores-me face as both girls pretended the mouthed conversation had ever happened. "We have homework now?"

Zelda raised a confused brow to her friends. They were acting kind of strange… Was this about Saturday again? She internally sighed as she shook her head and began homework. She slid her notes over for them to copy before bending over her problems.

Saturday… A small pressed its way to Zelda's lips. It had definitely been interesting to say the least… She could remember so clearly the moment when Link had come home from work in his _Romani's_ vest unbuttoned and his tie loose. But the conversation that had occurred afterwards…

"_So… the Awesome Master, huh?" Zelda asked with a teasing smile._

_ Link halted in his steps as he laughed nervously, turning to face her._

_ Sensing her chance, Zelda continued, "My older brother used to call himself the Super Ultra Luscious Master of Awesome when he was about my age." Zelda chuckled to herself as she added, "I used to call him SULMA, just to tease him."_

_Link tilted his head to the side, a slight smile pushing its way onto his lips. "SULMA? Isn't that a girl's name?" He took a few tentative steps towards the spot where Zelda sat on the couch._

_Zelda grinned. "Uh-huh. He used to get so mad."_

"_I bet he took that well," Link said with a grin. He took a few steps closer._

"_Just as well when our cousin Tetra took his underpants and hung it up on the flag pole," Zelda said with a good natured shrug._

_Link laughed nervously, pausing in his forward motion. "I never knew your family was so… feisty. Like Midna."_

_ Zelda turned red in embarrassment. Oh, Nayru, hopefully he didn't think that about her. "Not really. Tetra just grew up with a bunch of guy-friends."_

_ Link nodded slowly as he finally allowed himself to take a spot on the couch a few feet from Zelda's position. "I hope I don't make Aryll turn out that way."_

_ Zelda smiled. "You've done a great job. Besides, Ruto's got such a firm girly death grip on the group that Nabooru and Midna couldn't corrupt us if they tried." She glanced at him, smiling playfully. _

_For the first time, Zelda caught a genuine smile grace Link's lips. She felt her eyes widen in surprise and something fluttered in her chest. _

_ "Well that's a relief," Link said simply. Zelda wasn't certain which he was referring to, but really didn't want to know at this moment._

_ She nodded with a small laugh. _Keep it light, Zel. You can do this!_ "So… Green, huh? Why?"_

_ "It's a cool color. Natural." Link shrugged. "I like it? I don't know. Does there have to be a reason?"_

_ Zelda shook her head. "I guess not."_

_ "What's yours?"_

_ "Blue," Zelda smiled. "I know it must be hard to tell with the pink I wore in Romani's that one time. My mom is insistent that I will not grow up."_

_ Link laughed. "Aren't most parents like that?"_

_ Zelda shrugged. "I don't know. Mine kinda are. Um… Speaking of work, you said earlier that you've worked a lot of places… What has your favorite job been?"_

_ He hesitated for a moment before answering. "Pay wise... Romani's. No competition," Link said with a smile. "The people I work with there are great, easy to be around. Plus the owners are old family friends of ours so they're really flexible with my work schedule when a crisis comes up."_

_ Zelda smiled. "They sound great."_

_ Link grinned back at her. "They really are. The only thing I have against it are the uniforms. The ties kill me."_

_ Zelda laughed. "If you hate ties so much why are you still there? Why are you a teacher, for heaven's sake?"_

_ "The good company!" Link laughed as if it were the simplest of answers._

_ Zelda shook her head, still laughing. "Okay, well, what was your worst job?"_

_ Link shook his head, trying to fend off the chuckling resonating from him. "Oh, no. We're not going there."_

_ "Dark times?" Zelda asked with a grin._

_ "It made the definition."_

_ "Alright, alright. I'll back off… Link?" Zelda began curiously._

_ "Yeah?" His azure eyes gazed into her violet ones, slightly weary but still open._

_ Zelda bit her lip. "You said that Romani's is your favorite place to work, but… you don't like being around a ton of people, do you? I mean, with the cameras today, I thought you didn't like large crowds…"_

_ The openness in his eyes dimmed slightly as Link shrugged. "I don't mind crowds… as long as they're not all expecting me to put a show on for them."_

_ Zelda's brow furrowed. "Then why do you teach?"_

_ "It's not about my comfort," Link answered easily, leaning his forearms against his knees. "Besides, I'll have to get over it eventually. It's just part of growing up."_

_ "That's very mature," Zelda responded before she could stop herself._

_ Link let out a small laugh. "I would hope so. I think I've lived long enough to be mature, at least."_

_ Zelda grinned. "The judges are still out on that one."_

_ He scowled playfully and shook his head. "Dang. Can I vote for a new judge?"_

_ "You're in mid-trial!" Zelda joked._

_ Both Hylians laughed for a few moments. When Zelda opened her eyes again, Link had sat up and she could feel the easy smile plastered on her face. However, she felt it quickly fall into a thoughtful expression._

_ "Link… You said before that working at Romani's was your favorite, but… Why did you hesitate? What were you really going to say?"_

_ Link's eyes widened at the sudden shift. He had hoped she hadn't noticed that… When Zelda thought she had crossed the line, Link whispered, "The only real one I've ever had: being Aryll's brother, taking care of Colin and Lily and Grandma…" Link laughed and turned his head to face away. "I kinda understand how your parents must feel about taking care of you… how my parents must've felt about us…"_

_ "Oh," escaped from Zelda's lips before she could think of anything better to say. The Alavryn's, Link always seemed so happy. It was almost too easy to forget how much they had suffered. Her eyes fell. Before she could stop herself, she asked, "Isn't your grandma retired?"_

_ Link nodded. "Has been since I turned seventeen. She worked as a nurse, but they let her go due to old age. I've taken care of everything since then."_

_ Zelda exhaled slowly. "Wow. I can't even imagine… working to support a family while in high school…" _You were at my age now… What would I do if I had to support a family…? Could I handle it? _Zelda wondered desperately. _

_ "I graduated early," Link reminded her. "I was in college. Not a big deal. The Equestrins were a big help. I had my job with them and that helped out a lot."_

_ Zelda only nodded, unsure of what to say. A deep sound shattered the peaceful nature around them and Zelda suddenly jumped to her feet. "Eleven already?" She groaned. "I'd better get home before my parents ground me for life. It was nice, Link… Talking to you today…" She smiled as she turned from the doorway. "Thanks."_

_ Link's brow furrowed. "For what?"_

For being here, for talking with me, for being human, for opening up to me… for showing me that I was wrong about you… You aren't uptight, unapproachable… you're shy, sweet and thoughtful…_ She thought. "Everything," Zelda said before turning and running out into the night._

Yeah, Saturday had been a good day… Returning to the current world, Zelda suddenly started as she realized school had ended and both her friends were giving her strange looks. "What?"

Her friends quirked eyebrows, exchanged looks and shook their heads. "Just wondering when you'd come back from the land of daydreaming geniuses," Midna answered simply.

Zelda laughed. "Right about now. Anyways, shall we head home?"

Aryll nodded, urging her friend forward before giving Midna one last defeated glance. Maybe it would be better if they didn't found out what had changed that night…

* * *

><p><strong>QUESTION: ARE THERE ANY SONGS THAT MAKE YOU THINK OF THIS STORY OR AN EVENT FROM THIS STORY?<strong>

**WhiteXIII:** Hooray! What'd you guys think? Favorite part? How was the fluff?

**MangaMaid:** I think they like the fluff. They tend to like the fluff. :)

**WhiteXIII:** True statement. Are there any confusing parts? **Ask questions and you'll get answers!**

**MangaMaid:** Well, I'm done packing… Hugs! I shall see you later.

**Review Responses:**

_Katie:_ Yay! Welcome back! I'm glad you liked the photo shoot, it took a while. ^^' What was your favorite part about this chapter?

_Princess Blabl__:_ Haha. Awesome, I'm glad to hear it. :D Hopefully this round of fluff was entertaining as well.

_Andy:_ Yay! I'm so happy to see you in my Reviews again! I missed you lots! Sorry about the Sea of Fanfiction eating you up, but at least you got out of it alive. :D Hooray DSi! Way to work it! Ch.10: It's never too late. :) Interesting choice… But you shall never have the answer! Bwahahhaa! :D. CH.11: Haha. A lot of people have been saying that and it makes me so happy! :D You're welcome, it made me more than happy to do bring it in. :) CH.12: Hahaha. It makes me so happy to hear you say that! All my hard work is not in vain! **MangaMaid:** Yes! Finally! Someone appreciates my help! **XIII:** I do! **MangaMaid:** Not you! One of your reviewers. You always appreciate my help, which makes me smile, but… Thanks for mentioning me!

_SarcasticMustache:_ It's okay. I'll leave the 'e' in for you. :) Aw! Thanks! I'm so happy to hear I've made you happy! That may sound weird and extremely over peppy, but I'm being totally honest!

1.)Haha. I'll take that as a good thing…? I'm glad it's interesting enough to keep reading. I find that's typically a good sign. :)

2.)Is it too frustrating or frustrating in a good way? At least things are making sense… ^^' Hooray! Another thing to check off my List of Mastery… though (I feel kinda dumb admitting this) I'm still having troubles figuring out exactly what dramatic irony is, so… once I figure out how to do it on purpose, I shall check it off. :D

3.)YES! I was thinking so much about the balance of fluffitude that I thought my brain would burst from indecision! But, booyah! I did it! I'm so happy! T^T Haha. So true! Fluff is simple, light sounding and… fluffy!

4.)^/^ Aw! Thank you so much! Link is actually my favorite character in this story for reasons that shall be revealed as the plot goes on… Sigh. I hate being patient. ^^' But, yeah, totally psyched at your comment! I hate it when Zelda's all flirty too! I mean, in the games, she's always been locked in the castle or fighting a war with impossible odds stacked against her. I don't think she's ever learned to flirt. I guess if she were put into the right situation in the past (of an AU, obviously), then she could probably find a way to fake it… Anyways, I'm glad you like Zelda too! She's actually the hardest for me to write. ^^' My main character, hm… That's always a good sign. XD

5.)Hahaha! Those were so fun for me to write too. I'm glad you, and many others, didn't find that too weird or anything. Usually, in face to face conversation, nobody ever seems to get when I'm making a joke. So writing here has made my insane humor very happy. :D

6.)Why is Aryll frustrated? That's a good question. Hopefully, some light can be shed on that in the next chappie. :D Side note: I love that you ask questions when you're confused. IT HELPS ME SO MUCH, YOU HAVE NO IDEA! :D

7.)Bahaha. Evilness! Can I check that off my List of Mastery? XP That, also, should come up next chapter… And if it doesn't, it's because I tried editing by myself, took it out and forgot to put it back in. That actually happens often… ^^' Still in training here.

8.)Usually when I just shift right over it signifies that things are happening at the same time as what I just left. Though, I wasn't very clear with the time skip at the bottom. And, for that, I apologize. I hope you were able to figure it out, though…

9.)Your reviews are awesome! It makes all my writing time worthwhile. It usually takes me a month to get around my schedule, work around brain blocks, get a hold of my editor… all just to write one chapter of my stories. So getting such hyperspecific reviews from you totally makes my day. I love hearing your insight and getting an idea of where readers struggle, get confused, what parts they like, etc. Plus, your writing is so lively so reading your reviews is never dull. If you wanted to write a fanfic, you could totally pull it off. You already have a wonderful writing style. :)

10.)Thanks for being such an awesome, constant reviewer! You constantly make my day! Haha! And thanks for referring other readers to "Requiem of Time." XP

_Lil' Miss Wise:_ :D Haha. I'm glad you're enjoying this so much! Your enthusiasm made me so happy! What'd you think of this chapter?

_Guest:_ I'm glad you liked it, NumberMan. What was your favorite part of this chapter? A favorite line?

_ZeLink-fevah-28:_ Hahaha. So much enthusiasm! I love it! What did you think of this last chapter?

**REVIEW!**


	17. Chapter 16

**WhiteXIII:** I am SO sorry! This chapter hated me! I had to call MangaMaid several times just to muddle through it. TT^TT I don't know why the brain blocks were so vicious, but… I'M SORRY!

You guys were great with support, as usual. So thank you to: KitaiKnight97, Lost In Dreams19, GlissGirl99, The Supreme, THISISSPARTAAAA, Lady Fai, Sapphiet, Death88400, Tabbycat270, SupernalGodzilla, Screen, A Shadow's Lament, Faustus Pendragon, HenryTheWise, Blablablahdiblab, HeroofTwilight'sgf, Princess Zelda-figure skater, DorkyReader859, Great Angemon, TwiliRupee, Esparia, whosahassa, dragoness of storm, Evasme, Knight's Day, ZeLink-fevah-28, LZfanatic12, naaatalieyo, NekoRose26, GameCivilization, SarcasticMustache, Courtney Gears, GOTOR12, Xtraitor, Aressia, zelinklover345, FinalDeathInTwilight101, Moon Princess016, 1davey29, linkkirby8692, zeldax, 321aussy, nikomoon2, CrimsonAngel1992, Yuka Muntou, PrincessBabl, Guest, and BeesandSpoons FOR EVERYTHING!

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter 16<p>

_**Tuesday**_

Daltus straightened his tie for what felt like the thousandth time that morning. Quivering, his hands went to attend his jacket instead as he pulled it around him and attempted to latch the buttons. After a few minutes of result-less attempts, he simply dropped his hands and stared forlornly at the mirror before him.

The door—simple, but elegant—opened, revealing Daviane and her dazzling grin, which seemed ready for the day. It brightened as she spotted her husband. "Good morning, hon." She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek as she stood beside him. "Did you sleep alright? You seemed a little restless after work yesterday."

Daltus shifted his blue eyes over to his wife's emerald ones nervously. "Well enough, I suppose," he replied, trying to bring an easy sound to his bass voice.

Daviane's eyes narrowed slightly in concern, but quickly brightened as she turned toward their open doorway. "Good morning, Zellie, dear!"

Zelda looked so much like her mother, it hurt. Their blonde hair and delicate features… Daltus cringed as the memory of Ganondorf's threat washed over him with a new wave. He turned away quietly and went back to fussing with his buttons.

Noticing her father's unusual avoidance, Zelda couldn't help but frown slightly. He had done the exact same thing at dinner the night previous. Was there something so horrible about his only daughter that he couldn't even face her? Instead of voicing her concerns, Zelda smiled as she looked on her mother. "Morning, Mom. Sleep well?"

"Oh, yes! A vet's always got to be well rested for anything, you know!"

Zelda laughed. Yes, her dainty mother was an animal doctor. And somehow people still only saw the Hykarin's as a family of propriety? It was well beyond Zelda; even if she did have the Triforce of Wisdom.

"Great. Me too," a mild lie, but Zelda really didn't want to tell them the alternative. "Well, I'm sorry to cut our morning chat so short, but I really should head off to school. I'm doing an assignment in Magic class with Midna and Aryll, so I need to get to school earlier than usual and I'm actually running late for that, so…"

Daviane smiled. "Of course. Have a good day, sweetie! Oh! And there's breakfast in the microwave! I got a new recipe from the health club I go to!"

Zelda turned slightly pale. "It doesn't have Chu Jelly in it, right?"

Her mother simply laughed. "I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise! It's a recipe Pearl Alavryn showed to me and you know how well the Alavryn's cook!"

_Link's a great cook, but, as far as I've heard, but…_ Zelda shuddered as she remembered how violently ill Aryll had become just a few Tuesdays ago… _Grandma Pearl sounds scary…_ "Thanks, Mom," Zelda forced herself to reply cheerily. She darted down the steps, leaving a wide berth between herself and the microwave. _Who needs breakfast anyway?_ She thought as she scurried out the door.

A chill went down her spine. She made a beeline for her car. She tossed her things into the seat beside her and forced the keys into the ignition. It was just another regular day. Nothing was wrong. She would not have that thing for breakfast. Satisfied with her newfound inner peace, Zelda's car rumbled slowly to life and backed cautiously out of the driveway.

Daviane remained in her position: smiling happily to the door where her daughter had stood moments before, until she heard the front door close and Zelda's little car putting off down the street. She silently approached the door, shutting it and sealing the room off with a hardly noticeable spell. No one would overhear their conversation now.

She turned to face her husband again, her eyes somber. "Honey, what is it? What's happened?"

Daltus smiled weakly, defeated. "You always were able to see right through me, m'dear," he spoke with a sigh.

His wife, however, responded only with a despondent look.

Unable to bear facing his wife, Daltus turned back to the mirror in front of him, fumbling once more with his jacket buttons.

Noiselessly, Daviane appeared in front of her husband and began buttoning them up with swift ease. "Daltus… darling… We've been through so much together, we've been married for twenty-seven years… And, as a member of the Aurea, and as your wife, you know you can tell me anything."

Daltus finally turned his gaze to face his wife's. After a few moments searching her violet pools and a few harsh swallows, he spoke, "Daviane… I'm sorry."

Daviane's brow furrowed in concern as a bubble of uncertainty began building within her. "For what? Daltus, please, explain."

"Ganondorf… He has always considered many emotions to be weakness… And Zelda, our beloved daughter…" He turned away as his throat threatened to close in on itself. "I'm sorry," he choked hoarsely.

Daviane, whose hands had long since finished buttoning, stared at her husband in silence as the realization began to take root. The bubble within her burst, blossoming into fear and pain. She took a deep breath and pressed her face into her husband's chest. "He won't…" she finally managed after a few moments.

Hearing the near sobs in his wife's voice, Daltus couldn't bear to disagree, to tell her that Ganondorf was probably already on the verge of producing his threat.

"He won't," Daviane said again, with more conviction. She lifted her head to gaze fiercely into Daltus' gaze. "Zelda will be fine, Daltus. He won't harm her."

"How can you say that with such certainty? You know what horrors he's capable of!" Daltus hadn't meant to raise his voice, but it didn't seem to deter Daviane from her response.

"I know he's a madman, Daltus and I know how powerful he is. But he has forgotten how powerful the Aurea are, how powerful _we_ are! Our daughter will be fine."

"But, Daviane… There is nothing we can do."

"There is always something we can do," her eyes burned fiercely, determined and confident.

Daltus sighed. "Alright, but… What if it isn't enough?"

"It will be," Daviane said stubbornly. "_Those_ events will never happen again. Not to those involved on our side. We will have no repeats."

_Or else we will fail._

**…**

Ganondorf roared in frustration as he blasted yet another basketball down a hoop. The metal hinges groaned with the strain of the large Gerudo's dunk, but held fast for another, inevitable round of smack downs.

The connection had been lost; blocked by a simple protection spell.

His golden eyes darkened visibly. She knew. Daltus had cracked, even after his threat. He had told his wife, a member of the Aurea, he was sure of it. "No matter," Ganondorf reassured himself tightly before turning to glare at his minions. "We will simply have to remind him of the consequences… Go. You know what to do." His eyes seemed to flash red for a moment before a wicked grin curled itself across his lips, "Do not fail again or you shall suffer dearly."

Glowing white eyes quivered slightly before disappearing in a flash of black.

Ganondorf returned his attentions to the hoops once more, the grin fading back into its original scowl. Daltus would pay dearly. He threw the basketball again, its force causing the backboard to shake. The ball dropped through the netting, but never hit the floor.

He stood, staring as he watched his anger burn the netting and basketball into oblivion. Daltus would pay, indeed.

**…**

_They're definitely up to something,_ Zelda finally determined grimly as soon as she was enclosed within the peace of her own vehicle. Midna and Aryll, that is.

Why were they suddenly so interested in her… dare she say it? "Romantic" life. She groaned at the thought. Ruto, Ilia, Malon, sometimes even Nabooru, if only to watch her squirm, would inquire about it, but Aryll and Midna? Had Ruto finally infected them? Or where they…

No. It couldn't be… Zelda's eyes squinted, as if closing her eyes would disperse the possibility. "But it can't be that," she whispered to herself, but the idea furthered itself into her mind. She turned the corner out of her labyrinthal subdivision, which was filled to the brim with "perfect" families and their "perfect" manicured lawns and fancy lawn animals—whose lifeless eyes never failed to send shivers down Zelda's spine.

A similar sensation at the recognition of a possible plot: Midna and Aryll were trying to set her up!

With Link to boot!

Sure he was nice enough, maybe a little shy at times, honest… Zelda's heart did a tangled, panicked dance as she suddenly straightened, shocked at what was going through her mind. She laughed nervously, "Okay, Zel. You've officially cracked. Midna and Aryll, your two best friends, are not trying to set you up with their guardian. One, that'd be completely and totally out of the question! Two, he's a _teacher_, _my_ teacher! And he works for my dad!"

She loosed a quivering sigh as she tried to force herself to relax. That was that. Matter settled; case closed. Why was it always him anyways?

If she was the girl next door, then why were things all weird?! She was supposed to go through school unnoticed, flawless grades, perfect manners: the perfect daughter… the principal's daughter.

Zelda heaved a sigh as she irritably flicked the blinker on to turn onto the main road in front of her school.

Midna and Aryll weren't the only ones either. Her Dad, her Mom, even Impa—the school nurse—was looking at her differently. Avoidance is what it almost felt like. Like they couldn't look at her. As if she would disappear if they looked too hard… But what could make everyone act so strange?

The main road bustled around her, filled with those returning from night time jobs and those going to replace them. Zelda pulled into the main street, her head beginning to pound with the overwhelming amount of possibilities.

What was all this garbage about conspiracy theories anyways? There was nothing going on at school! Nothing but learning anyways. "It's a school," Zelda chided herself grimly, "How nefarious can things get anyway?"

Sensing Zelda nearby, the light swiftly changed to yellow, right when she was just outside the point of no return as if to say, "Ha! Got you again!"

Zelda tapped the steering wheel impatiently, silently staring down the red traffic light in front of her, willing it to change colors. The chances of that happening were unlikely at best. She relaxed into the back of her seat as a trickle of cars whizzed past.

The school's parking lot was just to the left… So close… yet so far.

She closed her eyes, attempting to ward off the headache that was pressing against her temples. In an attempt to distract herself from the aching of her head, and the looming prospects and unavoidable feelings of dread, Zelda concentrated on making a list of things that needed to get done that day:

_Meet up with Aryll and Midna for assignment… get "A Link to the Past" from library—for sure—finish math homework…_ Zelda groaned as her head blasted in retaliation. "Well that worked brilliantly," she muttered as she massaged her temples. Maybe thinking wasn't the best thing to get rid of a migraine…

A sharp-toothed grin worked its way over a white-eyed creature as it spotted its opening. Silently, it charged, darting in a blur of color beneath Zelda's car.

"Finally," Zelda muttered, mostly to herself as her head began to lessen in pain. The light, after an eternity, finally turned green. Zelda pressed her foot to the gas pedal and rounded the last corner to enter her school's parking lot. A clanking sound reached Zelda's ears as she went over a speed bump. She cringed slightly. _I hope I didn't hit the bottom too hard…_

Rounding the final corner, the blur streaked from beneath the little blue car and darting to a good hiding spot to watch the show.

**…**

"Thanks for bringing us early today, Link," Aryll said brightly as the trio pulled themselves from the old tan car, which had finally gotten fixed.

"No problem," Link smiled. "It's unusual that you two want to come with me to school any more. I know Midna doesn't like early mornings…" His blue eyes surveyed his surrogate sister with amusement as the pale-skinned girl stumbled from the backseat.

She glared, her red irises glowing slightly. "Like you're one to talk," she growled tiredly. "I'm not the one who runs outside in his boxers by accident."

Link's ears turned a deep shade of red as he turned away. "At least I get up," he muttered quietly before silently grabbing his suitcase.

Midna grinned. Even in her exhausted state, she recognized she had won. With the mild feeling of triumph, she straightened slightly to look around. The sky was still hazy, light just beginning to peek through the many trees and the tall, white fence that surrounded the school. "Well, we're here..." She turned to give Aryll a grumpy look. "You better not have dragged me out of bed for nothing."

"Zel will be here soon. I'm sure." Aryll said simply. Ms. Grumpy Morning Face had no affect on her. She'd been on the receiving end more than once. "She must have slept in by accident."

Midna groaned as she slumped against the car. "Why couldn't that have been us?"

Aryll's blue eyes lightened as a broad grin covered her face. "Well, she's here now."

The Twili looked up from the car dully and gave a feeble nod to the blue car as it turned the corner towards them. Midna's brow furrowed. She rubbed her eyes before looking again. Was there a blur… No. Her eyes were just playing tricks on her. Curse the infernal time of morning!

**…**

Zelda knew something was wrong as soon as she turned the corner into the parking lot. Feeling the sense of panic welling within her, Zelda shook her head, trying to reassure that, logically, there was nothing wrong and therefore nothing to fear. But the feeling wouldn't leave.

About fifty feet in front of her stood Aryll, waving happily at her. Zelda rolled down her window and waved wildly back in a desperate sign for help, but Aryll didn't seem to understand and instead turned to the Twili leaning against the car beside her.

"There's nothing wrong, Zel," she breathed quietly. "You're just being paranoid about…" A shudder went through her body. She was now only thirty feet away and still not slowing down. Her throat tightened in panic as Zelda forced her foot to press the brakes onto the floor. No affect whatsoever.

The brakes weren't working.

Realizing that she was headed directly into another car, Zelda jerked the wheel to the side.

Nothing.

Desperately, she grasped the emergency brake and pulled up with all her might.

Instead of being any help, it jerked up uselessly.

She tried again, and again going to and from the steering wheel and the varying brakes. The same results glared back at her as the steering wheel refused to budge.

**…**

"What is she doing?" Aryll asked uncertainly, watching her friend making wild gestures and looking around her car.

"Trying to hurry up since she got here later than us for once?" Midna replied, confusedly, still leaning against the Alavryn's car, her eyes vined with red.

"Mid, something's wrong," Aryll stated, freezing as realization landed in her mind.

Link's eyes flashed, his briefcase falling out of his hand as he started running towards the car.

"Oh, no…" Midna said urgently as she pushed off the car.

**…**

Under circumstances in which one's life is being threatened, prophetic, wise or even noteworthy thoughts seem to span across their eyes. But the only thing Link could think of was: _I hope this is like goats._

Link seemed to instantly drop a few pounds as he threw his jacket to the side. He took a deep breath as the car approached; his hands were fisted in firm determination beneath his worn leather gloves.

In a matter of seconds, Link's hands touched down on the sloped hood. His whole body tensed as it strained against the mass of the vehicle. Link's muscles screamed at him in complaint, coiling for all they were worth, but still he slid back. He attempted to take several steps forward, his steps leaving dashes in the line his robber soles were leaving on the pavement. Sweat quickly beaded itself across his forehead.

Aryll breathed deeply, pressure began building in her lungs and diaphragm, her core tingled. Sky blue light began to dance faintly around her finger tips before she brought her hand, palm-up, to her face. Air streamed from her lips, fanning over her hand. A current of air shot from the palm of her hand, infused with magic, and shot towards Zelda's windshield.

Link grunted, feeling his sister's magic shove his head forward. He bent further forward, trying to resist banging his head against the unforgiving metal hood.

He took another stubborn step forward, his feet feeling every contour of the school's driveway as they quickly seemed to melt in the unbearable heat erupting from the balls of his feet.

He pushed again. But, this time, something was different…

Quickly realizing the car was slowing, Link pushed again, with more fervor. "Come on… STOP!"

Aryll jumped over the curb, standing on the lawn, she began building up her magic for another gust. Concern knotted itself in her chest. Link was running out of parking lot fast. Even the curb wouldn't be able to stop the vehicle at this speed. If they couldn't get the car stopped before reaching the curb…

_Link…_ she thought anxiously. Her breath came out shakily, causing her magic to fizzle out. Frustrated, she started again, though she already knew it would be too late.

The problem manifested itself to Link as soon as his heels crashed against the curb. "_Vetriae Farore!_" he gasped. A spark surged through him, thrashing through his being. No longer having control, he crashed to the ground, his knees giving out in fatigue and his head spinning. Blackness swarmed Link's vision, pain stabbing at his eyes and mind and tearing through his arms.

**…**

Zelda's arms were stiff against the steering wheel, her eyes wide. She inhaled suddenly, unaware that she hadn't been breathing for a good thirty seconds. Particles of green drifted through the air, each gradually fading away as the air was released from the force which had magicked it there.

Her heart pounded against her heart, a gentle reminder that she was still alive. Though she though the heart attack with Link charging her car the way he did… Was he insane?! She never would have put it to him, he seemed too sane, but the quiet ones were really the ones with all the surprises.

It was really thanks to him and Aryll that she hadn't run in to anything…

"Oh, Nayru," Zelda squeaked, her head feeling as though it lost several pounds as she fumbled with her seatbelt and stumbled out of the car.

"Zelda, are you okay?!" Midna exclaimed, dashing to her friend and hugging her for all she was worth. "You almost gave me a heart attack!" she chided as she squished her friend.

"I-I'm fine, but… Link…" Zelda managed to get out after a few attempts.

"He's probably fine," Midna said shakily.

_Probably?!_ Zelda gulped nervously, her knees knocked together, but she pulled away from her friend and staggered to the front of her car.

Muffled groaning reached her ears before Link came into full sight. He was laying on his side, his back towards her. Aryll's mouth was drawn down anxiously as she kneeled helplessly on the opposite side of her elder sibling. Another groan escaped his lips as his body writhed into a closed position. His hands grasped at the grass, pulling out hand-fulls at a time. At that moment, Link turned his head to the ground and retched.

"L-Link? A-are you… Are you… okay?" Zelda asked faintly as she came into his line of sight.

Cerulean peeked through one squinted eye. "I'm fine," Link gasped, his breathing ragged.

"Are you sure? You seem kinda…"

Zelda didn't have time to complete her question before Link's body convulsed again. His teeth gritted and his hands pulled out another chunk of the lawn. Sweat covered his skin, gluing his hair to his forehead and plastering his shirt to his trunk.

Aryll bit her lip as she watched her brother be sick and forced herself to say, "There's nothing we can do… It'll pass eventually…"

Zelda turned to her friend in confusion. "This has happened before?"

The somber look in Aryll's eyes was all that Zelda needed. She turned her gaze back to the man that had saved her life sadly. Nothing at all? What was even wrong with him? Hardly thinking about what she was doing, Zelda pressed her right hand against Link's shoulder comfortingly.

His breathing suddenly calmed, the retching stopped, though his body still shook from the previous exertion. Beneath Link's head, his left hand was glowing gold, unknown to the girls around him.

"Don't touch him," a female voice warned suddenly.

"Impa?" Zelda queried as the school's nurse ushered her away. Without warning, Link began retching again, the pain evident on his face increased tenfold. "What's wrong with him?"

Impa's eyes closed for a moment in concentration before flashing open again, iridescent. Zelda fell silent as she recognized the technique: Impa was looking at Link's magical core. The young female shuffled from her position slightly, debating about taking a look herself. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, her face flushed. _Look at his core?!_ She asked herself, _Really, Zel?! Only doctors, relatives and… couples do that!_

"Zelda…" Impa started slowly. "Could you put your hand on his shoulder again?"

Zelda's brow furrowed with confusion, but she didn't question Impa's orders. Her left hand extended nervously towards Link, hesitant from her last thoughts on core peeking.

"The right one, dear… Just like you did before," Impa said evenly.

Zelda spared her a quick glance, nodding as a silent understanding passed between them. _The Triforce?_ Zelda wondered quizzically, _Would that really do anything?_

Link's skin burned against her cool hands. She could feel every shudder in him pass through his body. But, after a few seconds, they stopped. Link's shoulders relaxed, the pained expression leaving his face.

Zelda could feel her own shoulders relaxing. Her eyes scanned across Link's face, his usually tan skin turned a pale pallor. Her left hand moved up, brushing his bangs from his forehead. His lips moved uselessly, muttering in a way Zelda couldn't understand. Was he still in pain? Zelda frowned sadly as she thought, _I wish I could do something more…_

Impa watched wordlessly, her glowing eyes keyed onto Link's core, even as his garbled speech reached her ears. The green mass within him was expanding, solidifying as it calmed.

Zelda's thoughts continued. _Comfort… I could put his head on my lap, then he could breathe and I could strengthen his core…_ She turned a bright shade of scarlet. _Those are couple-y things! _She blinked, suddenly feeling disoriented and light-headed.

"That's enough, Zelda," Impa suddenly interjected. "Thank you."

Obediently, Zelda pulled her hand away, though small feelings of disappointment nipped at her.

"He's fine. His core is just strained from the effort of creating that gust. I'll take him to my office and he can rest there. In the meantime, the three of you should get to class."

"But Link…" Aryll started slowly, looking only at her brother with concern.

"He'll be fine," Impa reassured gently.

"How did you know to come here?" Midna asked skeptically.

Impa had turned Link, so he laid on his back. "I sensed a lot of magic in the area and came to investigate." Exasperation crossed her figure as she added, "I should've known it was Link." She glanced around at the three worried girls. "I've got him, girls, really. He's going to be fine. You should get to class."

Zelda, however, was still preoccupied with what Impa had said earlier. _The spell…_ _the green gale…_ Having enough magic behind air to actually make it somewhat visible was rare. But a gale with _that_ much color identity; how much magic was put into that spell?! Zelda hadn't thought it was possible. No wonder he was so exhausted. But that didn't explain all the pain he was in…

"Yeah, that's a great idea and all, but, um… What do you want to do about Zelda's car, though?"

Impa's brow furrowed in confusion. "What car…? Oh…" Her eyes rested on the little blue automobile just realizing it was there. "What exactly happened here?"

**…**

They had reached Impa's office by the time Midna had finished relaying the tale. Aryll hadn't taken her concerned gaze from her brother's wracking form the entire time. And, to be honest, Zelda was still in mild shock from everything that had happened.

"So he had to stop a car…" Impa restated slowly.

"Yep. But it's okay, he's gotta be okay." Midna said determinedly, "Link throws goats. I mean, what's a car in comparison, really?"

"What?" Zelda asked in disbelief, coming out of her reverie briefly. What did goats have to do with any of this? And did she just say "throws them"?

"A lot actually," Impa replied evenly. Somehow, Zelda got the impression that the concept of a goat throwing Link was completely normal.

"We should get to class," Zelda suddenly announced as she rose to her feet, the end of period one bell screeching through her thoughts.

Midna pouted, but didn't have time to argue as Zelda grabbed her two friends and pulled them from the nurse's office. Impa spoke after her, "Zelda, are you sure you're fit to go to class today?"

Zelda gave a vibrant smile in response. _Heck no! _"Of course. Thanks for all your help!"

**PERIOD: 1. CLASS: History 101. ROOM: 317. SUBSTITUTE: ...**

The three girls shuffled grimly through the empty hallways towards their first period class. Impa had written them all excuses for being late, but that would do nothing to stop the torrent of questions or worries running through Zelda's mind.

"Aryll…" Zelda started slowly. "Why was Link in so much pain after using his magic?" The trio of female students came to a slow halt, the two Hylian girls turning to face each other.

Midna watched Aryll's face closely. In the past week or so she had lived with the Alavryn's, she had learned one surprise after another. But the subject of Link's magic had never come up. "Yeah," she agreed slowly. "I've been around you guys for a while now, but we've never talked about magicky stuff… I honestly was beginning to think that Link didn't have magic."

"But the Alavryns, as far as I'm aware, are talented magic users," Zelda said. Aryll's face turned slightly pink in embarrassment as her friend continued, "Aryll's Gale type can be seen for Nayru's sake! Did you see that, Midna?"

"Yeah," Midna said, nodding evenly. "And I saw Link's. But a caster's spell isn't supposed to bring him harm. I know he has magic _now_. I mean, I saw it, but… I'm with Zel on this one, Ryll… Why did Link react so violently? Was it because of the physical strain?"

Aryll shrugged.

When no words were offered, Midna pressed, "You don't know? How could you not know? He's your brother! And you even said that this has happened before!"

"He'll be fine soon," Aryll said with a nod.

"Well, what's wrong with him?" Midna demanded impatiently.

Zelda chewed the inside of her lip as she nervously asked, "There's nothing wrong with his core, is there? I mean… He's not…"

"No! Farore, no!" Aryll's eyes widened in alarm at the idea. Since the core was in a direct alliance with a caster's life force, any damage or irregularities to the said object could end in death. "His core is perfectly fine! He's fine, really!"

Zelda gave a sigh of relief.

"That's great," Midna said. She pouted, "But obviously not everything is fine."

Aryll sighed in agitation. "It's none of your guys' business!" she finally snapped.

"Uh-oh," came a snide, female voice. "It looks like somebody's having a bad day…"

"You finally figure out that you're hanging with Prison's Most Wanted and Miss Perfect, Alavryn?" a second voice added patronizingly.

Midna rolled her eyes as the two Gerudo females approached them. They came to a halt, shoulder to shoulder—Amira's head was held high, her hands on her hips; Lila had her arms folded with one brow raised contemptuously.

"Go away," Aryll fumed.

"Oh, not feeling so friendly today," Lila tsked. "Too bad. We were going to ask you to join us."

"Join you…?" Zelda said slowly. "In what?"

Amira kept her gaze on Aryll, ignoring Zelda and Midna's presence as she grinned and said to the younger Hylian, "Our group of course!"

"Why would I want to join with you?" Aryll asked incredulously.

"What?" Midna asked irritably. Nobody messed with her friends. This had to be a set up. Girls like the two of them didn't do things to be nice, especially not these ones. But why? Did they have an ulterior motive?

"Oh, don't be so silly… Aryll! We just wanna be friends," Lila said perkily.

Zelda felt like her eyes had just bugged out. "Since when?" she asked, confused and almost insulted as memories of what she and her friends had suffered at the Gerudo girls' hands.

"None of your business, Little Miss Perfect!" Amira snapped.

"Hey, lay off," Midna growled, stepping between the offending Gerudo and her friend protectively.

"Yeah, who do you guys think you are walking up to us and pretending that you want to be my friend?" Aryll demanded, anger fueling her outburst.

"Well… I…" Lila stuttered, taking a step back.

Amira took another step forward, pressing her face close to Midna's. "You watch your tongue, you little ingrate!"

"Or what?" Midna growled. "You'll make me? Ha! I'd love to see you try."

Amira's nostrils flared. "D-don't think you can do anything to me, you lowly imp!" Her spin straightened as she continued, "One more toe out of line and you get expelled."

"Oh, how scary," Midna replied sarcastically. "But you're not even worth my time. You're not even worth Aryll's time! So stop trying to be all buddy-buddy and stay away from her! Do you understand me? Or do you only speak Stuck Up Gerudo?"

Red flashed over the Gerudo's face as she took a step back. "You just wait and see you… you… you Twili!" Amira finally spat.

"Wow," Midna said, unimpressed. She leaned back as the Gerudo retreated, her arms crossed. "Calling me by my race. I am so insulted." She gave them a sarcastic grin as the two Gerudo looked to each other in flustered confusion.

"Just remember, Aryll," Lila muttered as she tugged on Amira's jacket sleeve to go, "If you ever get sick of these losers pushing you around… You can always come hang out with us."

"No thanks," Aryll repeated.

Amira exchanged another row of glares with Midna before finally allowing her friend to drag her around the hallway corner.

After a few moments of silence, Zelda quietly asked, "You're not going to seriously think about accepting their offer, right?"

"No," Aryll said firmly, shaking her head. "I'm not that stupid."

**…**

"There is a fine line between courage and stupidity. You, Link, found this line years ago and crossed it! What in Din's name made you seek it out again, I'll never know, but trying to stop a car in motion? You knew that wasn't going to work, didn't you? I mean, you can't be _that_ naïve! Though I do suppose you saved Zelda's life, which… I see that smile on your face, young man! I am not praising you for crossing the line of stupidity!"

"Well somebody has to, Impa. Or else nobody would get to hear this marvelous lecture… for the tenth time."

Impa growled as she resumed her pacing around the Nurse's Office. "Twelfth, actually," she corrected without much thought.

"Oh, my bad," Link muttered with light sarcasm. That earned him a stern glare from Impa. He reciprocated with a friendly smile, before his face contorted, his pain voiced by a groan. "Why can't I take them off now?"

"You know why! And, no, we shall not experiment!" Link pouted slightly, but allowed Impa to continue her tirade. "Furthermore… Where was I?"

"I shouldn't have crossed the line of stupidity when I stopped Miss Hykarin's car. I should've just let her car crash; I believe is the idea of the story."

Impa scowled. "You know that's not what I'm trying to say, Link. It's just-"

Link propped himself up on his elbows as he interjected, "It was the only way I could stop the car. You know that, Impa. I know you do." Impa was silent as she met the Hylian male's gaze head-on. Her mouth was tautly drawn, her eyes unyielding. "Yes, I realize it was stupid. But I'm going to be fine, you told Miss Hykarin so yourself. And, if I hadn't 'crossed the line of stupidity,' I probably would have gotten run over instead."

Her red eyes tore away as Impa turned firmly to reorganize the medical cabinet behind her. "Don't make this a habit, Link," she muttered. "I won't always be around to patch you up."

Link's gaze softened as he lay back down in the little cot. "I know. But I'm glad you do, Impa."

She sighed in exaggeration before turning back to him. His eyes were closed, his own mouth firmly set; a shudder coursed through him, forcing his limbs to become rigid in pain. Impa closed her eyes, her brow furrowed in concentration. Suddenly, her red eyes flashed open and she turned them evenly to her patient.

"Your core is fine, though the magic you released in order to create that gust, well… not all of it got out. So the remains of that spell is banging around inside of you until it settles down."

"So everything's fine, then?" Link asked.

Impa shook her head. "I said nothing's wrong with your core, but… you broke it… again."

"Really? But it lasted for so long this time…" Link growled in frustration as he fell back into his cot. "Is there any chance I can get the old one fixed?"

A nod. "And soon. I will not allow you to come back to this school without a note from Dr. Borville stating that your problem has been resolved."

"At least give me until the end of the week," Link exclaimed, jumping off the cot.

"Why should I?" Impa demanded. "You landed yourself in this mess and you are not well enough to teach. I should send you home now, in fact. Your magic is unstable as it is already."

"Dr. Borville can't deal with this. He's a human doctor, Impa."

The Sheikah woman's voice raised slightly, "He's a specialist!"

"Fine. Fine, I'll talk to Dr. Borville... But I can't right now," Link said slowly, biting his lip as his brain swirled around a problem.

"Why not?" Impa snapped.

Link hesitated before answering, "You know how busy he can be. Besides, I have to help Aryll with her driver's test… I'll give you that note by Friday."

Her brow furrowed. "She's trying to get her license?"

The blond-haired patient nodded in response. "Yeah, crazy, I know. She wanted me to help her go over her driving skills before taking the test. You know, so she doesn't feel as stressed."

Impa paused, her lips pursed as she looked Link up and down. He forced out a smile, resisting the insistent feelings of pain panging around his body at his poor lie. "Friday," she agreed after a minute of thought. "And if you don't get it in, then I will drive you to the hospital myself."

"Thanks, Impa! You're the best," Link grinned, grabbing his jacket and wobbling towards the door.

The Sheikah woman sighed, suddenly appearing by Link's side and guiding him back to the cot. "I said Friday for the note. I didn't say you could leave." Impa grabbed each of Link's shoulders, forcing him to look her in the eye. "You still need your rest. Just promise me that until you get to the doctor, you'll take it easy and stay out of trouble."

Link answered quietly, "I will, Impa. I promise."

"Oh, before I forget…" She crossed the room, rummaged around in three or four drawers before returning with a plain leather cuff. "Wear this."

Link eyed the material wearily. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"If I thought it was a bad idea, I wouldn't be offering it to you now would I?" Link sighed, defeated. Impa nodded as an unsaid agreement passed between them. "This will hurt a little bit, but it'll keep your core more stable."

Link responded with a simple nod, one arm dangled over his eyes.

She nodded, satisfied that the trinket was secured around Link's wrist and his gloves resting on the table nearby, before releasing her charge and heading back to her desk. After clicking away on her computer for a few moments, Impa, still sensing unsettlement, sighed, "And, yes, our previous agreement still stands."

"You really are the best," Link managed as he rolled over for some much needed sleep.

After a several minutes of listening to Link writhe on and off, his breathing fell into a more peaceful pattern. Impa turned at her now sleeping charge, her scarlet pools betraying what she had been concealing before. Concern reached from her eyes, etching itself across her face. She gulped roughly as a knot began to form in her throat. "Always so reckless," she muttered, mostly to herself before turning away once more.

* * *

><p><strong>WhiteXIII:<strong> So… How was it? And what exactly do you guys think about Zelda's interpretation of the situation with Link? I is curious. :D And, yes, the next update will be sooner than this one or so help me!

MangaMaid will be back soon! YAY!

**Review Responses:**

_THISISSPARTAAAAAAAA:_ Hahaha. "Super-mega-foxy-awesome-hot," huh? Definitely a first for that. XP I'm glad you liked the fluff. :D Did you have a fave part for this chappie, too?

_whosahassa:_ Haha. Good. XP You had some good comments. It's good to know that you're excited for the inevitable butt-kicking scenario. I can't blame you. I'm excited to write it too. XP Thanks for your support!

_ZeLink-fevah-28:_ Aw! I'm so happy to hear that! What exactly do you think it is that makes it better? I try to update every month, but it's gotten difficult without my editor. How many chapters? Um… That's a good question. Haha. No, Ghirahim hasn't come in. Though I can imagine him as the Drama teacher… Hm… You graduate at 16? Lucky! Also, thanks for your support! I love hearing from you!

_PrincessBabl:_ Heheh… Yeah… Sorry about that. Did you enjoy this last update?

_SarcasticMustache:_ Haha. Seriously, don't worry about being late. I'm always super pumped to getting to hear from you! I think you've already made it up to me with your review. It was very nice to read. :D

1.)You had 1000 questions?! Wow. Am I that confusing? XP Hooray for information dropping!

2.) You can feel the foreshadowing? :D Maddening? Why thank you. I do quite enjoy driving people crazy. But more than that, it's good to hear that I'm not totally predictable. Stories get really boring that way. Can you think of any examples that something you were expecting didn't happen? Did you like it better?

3.) Yes! I was going for realism. I think it's really the small events in relationships that gets them going. Huge events don't normally pop into existence and cause people to suddenly grow to like each other. They may endear, but not bring love. That's my philosophy anyways. Any relationship can be challenged by dramatic changes or challenges, misinterpretations, etc. Anything coming to mind? :P

4.) Hahaha. I love writing Link, though I occasionally get frustrated sometimes. Why? I can't tell you. :) Yeah. I just hope Zelda develops into a strong, identifiable character. I have a kind of random question for you: How do you think Zelda and Link's personalities would work if they were in a relationship? I am very curious…

5.) I used to, but I really like it now. Especially when you ask them. You're able to pose them in a way that is polite and clear at the same time. I really appreciate that about you. :D

6.) This is what confused me… Are you saying that the story isn't funny or that I'm not?

7.) Really? Well, that's good, I guess. I normally think of Requiem as the suspenseful one, but it's nice to know I can pull it off in this fic, too.

8.) :D Yay! I'm beginning to really like this dramatic irony. It sounds like I use it a lot. XP Though what do you think of Zelda's perception of what's going on now?

9.) Thanks! There actually is a lot going into each chapter—I don't mean to brag, but it's true. By the end of each, I've driven MangaMaid and myself insane several times over. XP I'm glad it turns out so well; it's totally worth the effort!

10.) You really do. It's really intelligent sounding and looking, but it also has a quirky sense of humor wading around in it too. It's just so lifelike, I love it! I look forward to hearing from you again!

**REVIEW!**


	18. Chapter 17

**WhiteXIII:** I'm honestly surprised I was able to post this month, I wasn't so sure it was going to happen… But I did it!

**MangaMaid4545:** That's 'cuz I came home.

**WhiteXIII:** *Sings joyously* Yes! My muse has returned!

**MangaMaid:** I've been back for a while…

**WhiteXIII:** Yeah, and I just got LoZ brain back. So it is many, many thanks (and a second cookie jar) to MangaMaid for this latest update! And also all you reviewers, I actually reread a few and finished writing the chapter as a result. You guys are so great!

So thanks to: linkkirby8692, , Great Angemon, SupernalGodzilla, Nicoleisawesmazing, Chibiness-O-Yeahh, Jazzmatazz2000, NintendoKnight1, zeldax, Sapphiet, Guest, Amychama248, Katia0203, Wolfboy, HeroofTwilight'sgf, A Shadow's Lament, lozandkhfan, SarahHof, Grizelink, Lost In Dreams19, Mizunou, whosahassa, GameCivilization, Evasme, Rywillz15, m r s. g, Typooh285, Hylian Mage, RecentlygonInsane, dragoness of storm, Lars, TheZeldaGmer, SarcasticMustache, ingezijp04, Divine Grey, Guest2, PelleasTheEpic, burning book, Cherry blossom, CrystalAssassin1, remvis, MrSnowmanJoe, Screen, 1davey29, staythenight, Desert Rose, and Kunai94 FOR EVERYTHING!

ENJOY!

* * *

><p>Chapter 17<p>

_**Wednesday cont.**_

Link stood, stretching his sore limbs after a good hour's nap. "Thanks, Impa," he called through the small room as he pulled his work coat around him.

Impa nodded, her red gaze flicking to the Hylian substitute. "Mr. Rauru substituted your second period class for you."

"Then I'd better do something to say thanks," Link said brightly, coming around the counter from which Impa was seated behind.

"You can say 'thank you' by getting everything back in order."

"Yeah, yeah," Link chuckled nervously. He rubbed the back of his head as he added, "Get to the doctor's office, I know."

A smile crept onto Impa's face. She shook her head in an attempt to hide it. Her gaze suddenly hardened as a thought struck her mind. "Link," she started slowly.

The said blond, who was headed towards the door, stopped and looked at the nurse with a tilted head, implying confusion. "Yeah?"

The silver-haired woman brought her gaze up gravely to face Link as she spoke, "Is what you said true? After you stopped Zelda's car and she was holding your shoulder, you whispered in the ancient Sheikah tongue. Is what you said true?" As soon as she repeated her initial question, the room fell into a heavy silence.

Link nodded slowly. His gaze grew serious as he met Impa's gaze head on. "Yes, I do believe so. I felt the impression, but it was so short and so vague that I dismissed it as my imagination. But I'm sure it was real," he muttered, "And I think Midna sensed it too…"

Impa's shoulders sagged. If what Link had said was true, then… "This is bad news, indeed." Her gaze returned to Link.

"The Aurea…?" Link started questioningly.

Impa nodded, an almost irritable look in her eyes. "Yes. It's about time the Aurea had a meeting about this and acted. Thank you for your help, Link." She stood. "I must alert the head immediately."

**…**

"Why won't you listen to me, Daltus? The evidence is right in front of our faces—Link, whom I know you trust so dearly is our witness and, quite nearly, our victim! It is time for the Aurea to come together and to act!" Impa fumed. Her palms thwacked the top of Daltus's desk, her eyes burning as she hissed, "Why do you refuse?"

The portly principal kept to his silence as he continued to scribble away.

Impa growled in frustration as she finally turned to exit. "Daltus, if you refuse to take action to protect those kids, then I will. Someone has to keep Zelda from being killed and it can't always be Link."

She shoved the door open and quickly stepped through. _Sometimes I honestly wonder why that man is still in charge. He won't even consider the thought of a confrontation?! URGH! Even if Zelda has been threatened, which she always is anyways since she is a Bearer, it won't protect her if we just keep her in the dark and-_

"Impa?"

The Sheikah woman came to a halt. Recognizing the woman, her face relaxed into a small smile. She declined her head slightly as she spoke, "Daviane. What a pleasant surprise. What brings you here?"

An expression of sadness hallowed her features as she spoke, "Daltus told me about the school recently… And I heard on the news what happened with… with the car…" She was silent for a minute before continuing, "Is Link alright?"

Impa nodded. "And as stubborn-headed as ever. You really don't need to worry about him."

Daviane smiled, "Well that's a relief, at least."

The two women stood in silence. After a few minutes, Impa shifted and repeated her earlier inquiry.

"Oh, I just came to see Daltus about the Aurea is all."

Impa shook her head bitterly. "He has refused to summon them."

A mischevious grin fell across Daviane's face as she began leading Impa down the castle-like corridors. "Well, it's a good thing that he isn't the only one with that kind of power. Impa, my most trusted friend, what do you say we take matters into our own hands?"

"I say it's about time," Impa smiled.

_**Thursday**_

The Library doors fell to a silent close behind her as Zelda, with "A Link to the Past," the second book in Alan Klyn's series, in hand before starting her journey to find a good place to read. Someplace familiar doing something that made sense. Though Zelda knew that wasn't going to help calm the nerves that had finally began bubbling to a boiling point. After her body had left its state of shock following yesterday's incident, a new one had hit her just as hard as the last one. Maybe even worse, in a sense…

She shook her head firmly. Thinking about the questions that had plagued her all night long would only bring paranoia with it. She couldn't voice her questions and fears to Aryll and Midna. They both had quizzes they had to make up in one of their classes, so Zelda was left to wander the halls alone.

A sigh escaped her lips as she turned into yet another lifeless hallway. Since her car was broken, her father had driven her. Who knew it would be the one day he had to be so early. She shifted uncomfortably before her will broke and all the questions she had about yesterday's occurrence filled her mind.

How could her brakes be broken already? The little blue car had been working perfectly fine and, just out of the blue, the brakes quit? That couldn't be a coincidence. Had somebody… A cold presence pressed itself against her spine. She sucked a breath in to steady herself, everything felt cold at the idea: somebody had sabotaged her brakes…

But who? Who could possibly hate her _that_ much? Amira, Lila and Mala? Well, they did blame her for getting Mala suspended for a week, but would that really make them that violent? Who else could it be? Zelda cast her eyes about fervently. She stopped after a moment, shaking her head and mentally scolding herself for getting paranoid so easily. _But there is something wrong going on around the school…_ the back of her mind nagged silently.

"I heard about what happened the other day, Miss Hykarin," a low voice suddenly spoke.

Zelda straightened suddenly as she quickly turned to see who was behind her. "Mr. Dragmire," she said, trying to look as if nothing was wrong.

He gave a nod in recognition to her greeting before continuing, "I'm glad to see that you're alright."

"Oh, thank you," Zelda said, forcing a smile.

"It would be too bad if anything happened to you. Your poor father and mother… what would they do without their only daughter?"

A chill shrieked through Zelda's body as she looked up into Ganondorf's golden eyes, which seemed oddly sympathetic. Even Zelda knew Mr. Dragmire and her father didn't exactly get along. "Um…"

The look on his face vanished, brightening significantly as he grinned, "Well, it's good to see that you're alright. Lucky that Alavryn was there to help you."

"Yes," Zelda managed after a moment, averting her gaze to the floor. And he had gotten hurt because of it.

"Well, I trust you'll keep out of trouble, maybe get that car looked at, hmm?"

Zelda simply nodded. Ganondorf gave her another comforting smile, which sent another round of cold shivers racing down her spine, before he turned and quickly disappeared around the hallway's end.

A low breath suddenly escaped from between Zelda's lips; she hadn't realized she'd been holding it. _Why was Mr. Dragmire suddenly so… nice? … No, that couldn't be it… He couldn't have been the one who… _Zelda's gaze turned fearfully to the corner where her Gym teacher had disappeared, the dreadful possibility dancing around her mind. But even if he had, who would believe something like that? _Urgh! You're just being paranoid, Zel!_

She looked again where Ganondorf had disappeared, shuddered and starting in the other direction. Zelda found some comfort as she pressed her books closer to her, feeling the pages brush against her chin. Even this, however, was not enough to shake the persistent feeling of dread. She sighed in defeat as she came to a halt outside one of the many near identical doors in the school. Her gaze lingered on the plaque that announced the room number and teacher. Placing a hand against the door, Zelda pushed her way into the classroom.

**…**

Daltus sighed heavily as he rounded the final corner. So much had happened in the last few days his head was beginning to spin. Was he really doing all the right things? And why did Daviane suddenly want to talk to him in the hidden conference room anyways? That was usually used for… He stopped dead in his tracks, the door swinging shut behind him as he took the scene ahead in.

The table, which had been vacant for so long due to Ganondorf's careful observance, was surrounded by eight of the Aurea members. Rauru, Ashei, Shad, Kafei, Darunia, Rutela and Impa suddenly turned to face him from their positions on the sides.

Daviane, catching sight of her husband, beamed and patted the seat next to her at the head of the table. "Well, it seems we're all here," she noted pleasantly.

Ashei looked around slowly. "Wait… Where's Sheik?"

"Sadly, his work schedule would not allow him to come," Daviane reported.

"So he actually knows about this one?" the purple-haired man, Kafei asked skeptically.

Before Daviane could respond, Daltus grumbled, "He's too close to the topic at hand. His input may be too influenced."

"Yes, I told him," Daviane said firmly. "But he cannot make it so he'll have to be alerted to the contents of this meeting at a later date. Now, would everyone please take their seats so we can officially call this meeting to order?"

Daltus fell into his seat grudgingly. Daviane smiled. "Now, Daltus, I have already informed the board the severity of the situation at hand."

"We cannot allow this to go any further!" Shad exclaimed, his glasses slipping down his nose. "Ganondorf has already shown us his intentions. The longer we wait, the greater a chance we risk of endangering more lives."

"I second Shad's motion," Rauru spoke calmly. "I do not think it wise to leave Ganondorf running unchecked for much longer."

Ashei nodded vigorously and many members followed suite.

"It seems that we are all in agreement," Daviane said pleasantly before turning to her husband. "Daltus, the board has agreed that it is time to take action. We all understand what is on the line."

Stubbornly he spoke, "Ganondorf is being carefully observed. If he so much as puts a toe out of line, we'll know."

"Yeah, but he's already put out a ton of toes," Shad reasoned. "If we sit by, then he may think it as permission to misbehave."

"Besides, maybe it's about time he lost a few toes. Then he may understand that the Aurea will not be so easily pushed around." Seeing all the strange looks pointed at him, Kafei muttered, "It's a figure of expression. I don't mean it literally… Maybe…"

Impa shook her head and instead turned her attention to the head of the table. "And by 'Ganondorf is being observed,' you mean you've got Link keeping tabs on him even though he has to sub for Madame Farore's class most of the time?"

"Wait, wait, wait, Link's here?" Kafei asked, confused.

"Aurea have worked with Bearers in the past, Kafei," Impa said simply.

"So we have a crazy psychopath teaching the world's evilest subject and the only person we have doing anything is teaching a History _class_?" Ashei incredulously summarized.

Impa nodded. "Senior History."

Ashei and Kafei exchanged raised brows before turning to Shad, who nodded in confirmation as he pushed his glasses up. "With Link being here it really begs the question of why we haven't taken action ourselves yet?"

"Ganondorf has been watching our every move. Not every member of the Aurea works in this school so anyone coming in without a realistic reason can be labeled as Aurea and targeted. Ganondorf already dislikes Link too much for him to suspect that he is anything more than a nuisance."

A Zoran woman with white-pink coral-like hair turned her pale green eyes to face Daltus. Her white and gold-trimmed top shimmered as she shifted. "Of course we all understand the need for caution. This is a very dangerous game we are playing in which any one of us or our family members could lose their lives."

"We all knew this when this crisis originally started," Darunia cemented, his giant, blond beard bobbing as he nodded vigorously.

"Everyone in this room has something to lose, so let's start acting before we start losing!" Ashei said firmly.

A chorus of agreement circled the table.

Something clicked in Rauru's mind. His head turned slowly to face Daltus. His old voice was clear as he said, "When you said Sheik was too close to the matter at hand… Were you speaking in reference to Link's deep involvement?"

Daltus was silent.

"Are you saying Sheik has been left out of our meetings because you were afraid Link being his best friend would sway the way he acted?" Kafei demanded, his red eyes narrowing dangerously.

Silence.

The room suddenly erupted into argument.

"You can't be serious!"

"That's why Sheik hasn't been allowed to be a part of these meetings?"

"He's too young and naïve for this," Impa's voice could be heard.

"We're acting like a bunch of old men locked in a room!" Kafei growled in frustration.

"I resent that remark," Rauru muttered hurtfully.

"Everyone, please, calm down!" Daviane called, attempting to quell the situation.

"More like resemble…" Kafei muttered mutinously.

"Kafei," Daviane said warningly.

"Too young? _Too young?!_ He's older than me!" Ashei yelled.

"If anyone shouldn't be allowed in this meeting, it should be Daltus," Rauru tried to explain calmly.

Enraged, Daltus stood, "And what's that supposed to mean?! I am the head of this organization!"

"Well you're doing a pretty bang up job of it," Ashei grumbled.

"And if Sheik isn't allowed to take part in these actions because he's friends with Link, then half of us wouldn't even qualify to be here," Shad said irritably. Ashei and Kafei nodded in agreement.

"QUIET!"

Several members flinched as they found Rutela had risen to her feet, her green eyes blazing in frustration. "Yes, as Kafei has so eloquently pointed out, we are all acting very foolish right now. There's a lot going on, we all have something to lose and we're afraid because of it. However, we cannot crumble under the pressure now. Not when Hyrule needs us most." Her eyes briefly met Darunia's and she nodded.

He smiled kindly, "Thank you, Rutela." His gaze grew serious again. "As Rutela was saying, many of us have family, children and friends with lives on the line. As a member of the Aurea we all know this to be a consistent threat, but we cannot shelter our children and hide the truth from then.

"Link, who became a Sworn Brother to my clan after the Dodongo incident, was sworn into helping the Aurea at a very young age. At a very young age, he was aware of our existence and has been thoroughly involved in this hidden war. Nobody would deny him the right to these meetings." He was contemplative for a moment, taking in the solemn expressions of his fellow members. Daltus's gaze was studiously staring at the wall. "That is why… I would like to make a motion for Zelda Hykarin, the Bearer of Wisdom, to be credited with the ability to attend these meetings."

Daltus's eyes shot up. "What?"

"Seconded," Rutela said.

Daviane nodded slowly, nervous by the idea. "The motion has been seconded. This calls for a vote. All in favor of-"

"Our laws firmly state that family members of an already existing member cannot be excepted into the Aurea," Daltus interjected. "It is under this cause that the Alavryn family-"

"Has only allowed Link. We know, Daltus," Rauru said reassuringly. "But under these circumstances in which your daughter is a Bearer, those rules would not apply. She has the right to take part in these meetings."

Impa, who had been silent for most of the meeting, suddenly stepped forward. "Zelda's a smart girl. By now she must've figured that you and Daviane either can't or won't say anything to her and she would be likely to assume that we," Impa gestured to the remaining members of the Aurea, "wouldn't know anything of what's been going on. She just went through a life-threatening experience the other day, and I don't believe she'll write it off as an 'accident' for much longer. She's too smart for that. So, my question to the Aurea is this: who is this panicking 17 year-old girl going to trust to tell her the truth?"

The Aurea sat in a confused and contemplative silence. Daltus cleared his throat. "What relevancy does hold to our current conversation?"

"The problem I'm concerned about is where Zelda's trust will fall," Impa spoke gravely. "If she cannot find trust within the Aurea, who will she turn to?"

"Not Ganondorf," Ashei interjected. "He's too much of a creep and I'd bet my sword she's figured that out by now."

Shad nodded thoughtfully. "And Aryll and Midna probably would've told her by now if they knew anything."

"Either that or they'd be banging down our door demanding that we did or said something," Kafei said. "Well… That is if anyone knew the Aurea existed."

Darunia's eyes suddenly lighted up. "Aryll and Midna."

Rauru's head tilted quizzically as all eyes flew to the Goron member. "We already stated they didn't know anything, so Zelda wouldn't ask…"

Darunia was shaking his head vigorously. "No. Not Aryll and Midna, but my Sworn Brother."

"You mean Link?!"

"Why would she ask _him?_ Why would she even think to ask him?"

"Or even think that he'd know anything in the first place?"

"He is a History major…" Shad said thoughtfully.

Rutela shook her head. "How would that influence a decision to turn to him?"

Daltus's eyes widened as he whispered, "He would know a lot about… the Triforce."

Impa nodded. "And he's the one that saved her the other day. Perhaps that would be the last push necessary for Zelda to place her trust in him." Her gaze flipped to Rauru, "Aryll and Midna aren't so easy to fool either and they must know about Wisdom, I actually wouldn't be surprised if they encouraged the idea."

The expression on her husband's face told Daviane he still disagreed with adding their daughter to the organization. "Honey, as much as I know it pains and frightens you, Zelda is a part of this. I'm scared for her as well, but the lives of everyone in Hyrule will be threatened if Ganondorf's plan succeeds. We need to trust her to know and to take action."

"Ganondorf-"

"Needs her alive." Daviane turned, her gaze filled with determination. "He may threaten her, but he still needs her. If he were to kill her, then he'd have to spend copious amounts of time finding the new Bearer of Wisdom. He may injure or scare her, but he won't kill."

Daltus was silent. Daviane kept her eyes locked firmly, but gently onto her husband. Finally, he nodded wearily. "It's time she knew."

Daviane beamed. "I'm glad you understand."

"But not from us."

Daviane's brow furrowed. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you're saying…"

Her husband finally turned to face her. "If we were to induct her into the Aurea immediately, then I fear she would be overwhelmed with the severity of the situation and her position in it. And she may never forgive or trust any of us again if she were to hear it from us." He turned to face the Aurea, who he had almost forgotten was present. "We need somebody she trusts to tell her the truth. And, as many of you have said previously, I think we all can agree on who our best bet is."

The group nodded, relieved they were finally agreeing to take action. Impa smiled before wordlessly disappearing at a nod from Daviane.

**…**

Unaware of the debate that was currently going on, Zelda shut the door quietly behind her before venturing into the classroom. At the very least she needed somebody to placate her fears, somebody who she could trust. She couldn't just drag Aryll and Midna into this… Though Zelda knew for a fact they would never mock her fears, there was the dreadful thought of something happening to them… If something really was going on at the school and she was in the middle of it, then what would happen to Aryll and Midna if they found out? When Zelda had started to consider it the brakes on her car "gave out!"

She came to a halt in the room and her heart instantly drooped as she looked around: it was empty. A frown worked its way onto her face as she thought, _He's not here…_

"Miss Hyakarin?" a voice from behind asked quizzically.

Zelda jumped slightly, a sigh of relief quickly taking the place of her surprise as she spoke, "Link."

The blond Hylian nodded, though his brow was quirked with mild confusion. Zelda noted with relief that most of the natural color had returned to his skin, it wasn't a sickly green or matching with his white button-up shirt. "Everything okay? You're seeming a little jumpy." He started towards his desk.

Zelda opened her mouth to deny his accusations as she had become accustomed to doing, but her voice instead spoke with confidence she didn't know she had within her, "No, things aren't okay. Especially around the school…"

Link hesitated, his left hand brushing the top of his desk. His eyes flicked towards her, though most of his face remained turned away. "What do you mean?" his voice sounding a little strained.

"Something's happening around the school… Something that I've become caught in the middle of…" She took a step towards him, her violet gaze studying what she could see of his face.

Sensing her approach, Link turned to face the smaller Hylian. His shoulders were tense, but there was something else in his eyes that Zelda couldn't quite put her finger on.

Instead she pursued, "You know something, don't you?"

"Depends on what questions you ask," Link responded simply; though his tone was different than it had been a moment before. Lighter?

At this Zelda hesitated. She had been hoping for answers, but if Link really had known something, why hadn't he come out with it earlier? Her gaze searched his again and found what she couldn't identify before: hope… Hope? Hope for what?

Link shifted impatiently. "Zelda, you wanted answers?"

"_You can trust, Link,"_ Aryll's words repeated, resonating from Zelda's memory. Dumbly, Zelda nodded and began, "What's happening in the school?"

His mouth opened to speak, but a cough escaped instead. Annoyed, Link ran a hand through his hair. A frown worked its way onto Link's face. "I'm sorry, can you be a little more specific?"

_More specific?_ Zelda thought, exasperated. If he was so eager to give her answers, why would he be dancing around asking for specifics? Zelda shook those questions off and tried again, "Am I in danger?"

"You sure you want the answer to that?" Link asked warily.

Zelda's mouth went dry. "Link, please, I know things around the school are bad, I need answers from someone I know won't lie to me. Can I trust you to be that person?"

Surprise held Link for a moment before he nodded.

"Then please answer the question."

After another moment's hesitation Link whispered, "Yes."

Zelda's heart hammered to a stop. "Is someone trying to kill me?" The words felt strange coming out of her mouth—she was a teenager for Nayru's sake, why would they want to kill her?!—but they somehow made sense.

"I'm not sure," Link answered with some difficulty.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Zelda asked, feeling panic wash over her. "Link, I need answers, not-"

"It means I don't know if they're trying to send a m-" he broke off coughing. After a couple seconds, it subsided. Link cast a glare skyward in clear annoyance.

"Send a what? A message?"

Link's eyes lit up and he nodded vigorously.

"What message? What could they possibly…" a horrible sense of inspiration dawned on her. Zelda whispered, "So my car… that wasn't an accident? Someone… But who? They were working until I entered the parking lot… I would've seen someone…"

"Something," Link corrected.

"_Something_?" Zelda repeated. "Something like what?!" Frustration was finally taking over. "Link, why are you being so vague?"

"What knowledge is given, little is tol-" Coughing wracked Link's body, causing him to double over for a moment the moment he opened his mouth. Zelda took another step forward, concern radiating from her. Link suddenly went upright, and growled, "Hypocrites."

Zelda blinked. "What? Link, that doesn't make any sense…"

"I'm not talking about you," Link muttered, frustration causing him to push his hand through his hair again. His bangs swung in front of his eyes.

"Your answers are restricted," Zelda half-whispered.

Link's widened gaze shot up to hers. "Yes…" A grin erupted across his face as he repeated, "Yes, yes! Finally! I've been trying to get that through Midna and Aryll's heads every single time they grill me on this kind of stuff. You really are the rightful Bearer, I was beginning to think-"

"Wait… Bearer?" Her voice dropped to a whisper, "You mean… You knew about…" her right hand waved vaguely in-between them.

Link nodded slowly.

"Was I _that_ obvious?" Zelda asked, feeling more embarrassed than anything else.

"A little bit," Link admitted, thinking back to when Zelda had asked a question on behalf of some distantly related relative. "But that's not when I figured it out."

Zelda's brow furrowed, "But when did you…?"

"Link!"

Both Hylians jumped. Link, recovering first, spoke, "Yeah, Impa?"

The Sheikah nurse seemed to hesitate as her gaze fell to the other blonde in the room. "Zelda… What are you doing in here?"

"Uh... I-I, uh…" she stammered.

Link walked towards Impa evenly until he was standing several feet in front of Zelda. "You needed something, Impa?"

The nurse finally turned her attention back to Link and she nodded firmly. "Daltus would like to see you."

_Dad? Why would he need Link? Did I get him in trouble by asking so many questions?_ A million thoughts swirled through her mind relentlessly.

"Alright," Link shrugged. He started towards the door, but paused at its frame. Turning back to Zelda, Link smiled, "Oh and, Zelda, next time you would like help studying for a History exam, be sure to come with some more specific questions, okay?"

Zelda nodded. "I'll make a list."

Link laughed. "Then I'll look forward to it. Good luck."

"Thanks…" Zelda muttered as she was left alone. "Looks like I'll need it."

**…**

Link shifted uncomfortably from his position. It was the first time in several years that Link had attended a complete Aurea meeting. Well… Almost complete. Link frowned as he noticed Sheik's empty seat, along with five others. The fifth chair's occupant was still standing behind him. Whether it was to make him feel comfortable or to keep him from bolting Link couldn't be sure. Nine pairs of eyes watched him intently from their seats around the dark, wooden table. Feeling the overwhelming heat from the spotlight of his superiors, Link couldn't help but shift again. Impa, seat five, nodded reassuringly behind him. Exhaling, he turned his attention to the couple sitting at the head of the table and nodded awkwardly.

Daltus cleared his throat, but it was Daviane who beat him to the punch. "Link, the Aurea have been in discussion and we have come to the conclusion that it's time for us to act against Ganondorf."

Link nodded in understanding.

Her hand pressed reassuringly against her husband's before she continued, "And, since you've been keeping a watchful eye on the situation, we would like to know… if Zelda should be allowed membership in the Aurea."

Link stared. An understated exclamation of surprise pushed its way into his voice, "You want… my opinion?"

Daviane nodded patiently.

"Well… Zelda doesn't need to be voted into the Aurea. When the time comes she will take over as its head, but, for now, she has the same rights as I do since she is also a Bearer."

"Should she have the right to participate or not?" Daltus asked impatiently.

"She's a Bearer, she has the automatic right," Link replied. "She's old enough—older than I was when I was invited to my first meeting—and she already has an idea of what's happening. I'm surprised and, honestly, a little annoyed that she has been kept in the dark for so long. Her input could be valuable and knowing what's going on would give her a better chance of survival.

"Besides, as much as I'd love to take Ganondorf down myself there's no way to do that with my Triforce alone. I need Zelda's help if Hyrule is going to have any chance of survival."

Daviane nodded in approval. "It seems we are all in agreement then. Has Zelda spoken to you about anything of interest since yesterday's incident?"

Annoyance reappeared on Link's face. "Yes. And several times before then."

Daltus and Daviane exchanged surprised looks. "About what?" Daltus inquired.

"She had some questions about the Triforce and understanding how it affects Bearers."

"And you answered?"

"To the best of my ability…" Link said, his tone was beginning to wade towards uncertainty. Why were they asking so many questions?

Daviane repeated in summary, "So she has spoken to you?"

Link nodded warily.

She beamed and turned to the other members. Several nods and smiles were exchanged.

Link had a strange feeling that their hidden smiles were aimed at him. He leaned towards Impa, who was still standing nearby him. "Why do I get the impression that I'm about to be voted to do something that'll make things complicated?"

Impa repressed a smile, though Link still caught it. "You'll be fine."

He wasn't convinced.

"Link, it is at this point that the Aurea has an urgent matter that requires your… unique abilities. Will you accept?"

Link muttered, "Will you guys ever tell me straight out what it is I'm getting into _before_ I accept?" He ran a hand through his hair before nodding.

"Great," Daviane said, clapping her hands together. The air in the room suddenly seemed much lighter at Link's acceptance of the job. Which, of course, only set his nerves closer to the edge.

* * *

><p><strong>WhiteXIII:<strong> Maybe not the most exciting chapter ever, but very, very important. The Aurea members have been revealed and Zelda's officially decided to trust Link. You know what that means, right? Things are about to go haywire!

I'm curious, what do you guys think Link's "unique abilities" are that will apply to what the Aurea have asked him to do now?

**Review Responses:**

_Guest:_ Haha. Yeah, I think Link was thinking somewhere along the lines of goat = car… Yeah, this'll work… XP

_Wolfboy:_ Updates have been difficult with school lately, but I am aiming to get back to steady updating mode.

_SarahHof:_ Haha. I've definitely never had my writing described like a kiwi before. I'll take that as a serious compliment. What was your favorite part about this last chapter?

_whosahassa: _I don't know what it is with the whole car theme. I seriously considered not writing that scene because it was too much like Requiem, but I'm glad I kept it anyway. What are you confused about?

_RecentlygonInsane:_ Hahah! I loved reading all of your reviews! Your energy is very infectious and helped me to keep going. And I'm so glad you loved the "wolf with rabies" thing! That's one of my favorite parts, too. :D You "3" long chapters? 3? :) Haha. Yeah, Midna is always tons of fun to write. XD You also ask a lot of good questions, of which I absolutely love.

Question answer 1.) Epona is in this story, she just hasn't come out yet. She is a very key factor later on. :)

QA 2.) Well, nobody's really bothered him about the gloves because he's a teacher. It is pretty weird, though, huh?

_Lars:_ It's nice to meet you. No, I have never watched Dumb and Dumber before.

_SarcasticMustache:_ Haha. Seriously, don't worry about being late. I'm just happy to see your reviews every time. I especially love that you keep coming back—it's always exciting to see that. :D

1.) Yes! Do I win a prize? :D Well yay for immersive. :{P When I read I like to feel that I'm a part of the story; I never realized how much that influenced my writing style. Thanks for pointing that out. Hopefully I can keep doing that in a good sense. I usually run into debates with myself over what should or shouldn't be said. It can be hard since I know what's going to happen and the readers don't.

2.) Haha! I love dogs! Very fluffy, not foreshadowing so much. ^^

3.) Thanks. I'm excited to see how that works out too. :P

4.) Wow. That was a lot more detailed than I was expecting. And I loved it! You may never know how much I love specificity with reviews. It's so nice to get an outside perspective. ^^ So you're thinking from shy to deeper and maybe even a little playful, eh?

5.) Haha. Uh-huh! :D

6.) Thanks. I didn't mean to make you panic, I was just really confused. ^^'

7.) Thanks! Doing the rewrite for that one has been harder than just writing a story from scratch. I'm not even totally sure what the problem is… I'll get through it, though! And it'll be strong! I already feel like it's stronger in some areas than this one is.

8.) Cool. I officially feel 65% smarter. :D And yay for no "hand holding"! I hate it when authors do that!

9.) That's kinda hard to answer. It depends on the chapter for me. I usually have an idea of what I want to do with some of the scenes super concrete in my mind. In the last chapter, I wasn't completely decided on how everything was going so that was leaning more towards the idea of what I wanted at the end of the chapter. But there are other scenes that I plan meticulously for over extended amounts of time. Those are mostly major developing scenes (which are usually relationship, character, information dropping, foreshadowing, etc.). And even then MangaMaid4545 has to make sure I do it and do it correctly... ^^'' Yeah... Did any of that make sense?

10.) I am completely seriously about a writing style. You're very quirky and entertaining to read. It seems like witty characters would be a piece of cake for you. And I feel like I over-describe things too—I may under do it if anything—it all depends on your style. MangaMaid4545 is my editor/co-author and she is amazing! Finding writing style is really a whole lot of trial and error; it's a fun journey, though.

11.)You seriously have nothing to be forgiven for. Relax! ^^' Accounts can make it easier; plus you can get your feedback faster… Maybe… ^^' Thanks for another fantastic review and for all of your great questions!

_ingezijp04:_ Thanks! I'm glad you think so! I know this last one isn't very crazy, but I'd love to hear any predictions you may have. :D

_Guest2:_ No, she's a Hylian in Ocarina of Time and a human in Oracle of Ages. What made you think she was Gerudo?

_Cherry blossom:_ Haha. I'm glad you like the fic so much. It's always exciting to get that kind of feedback. XP And you have specific parts… YOU'RE AWESOME! The Funky Cuccoo was funny for me to write and also somewhat embarrassing on behalf for both the dancers. Ooh! A song too?! I'll definitely have to look that up. Thanks so much for all your support!

_Crystal Assassin1_: Haha. I love how your translation made absolutely no sense. XP Thanks for your support!

_Desert Rose:_ Well, if you click on authors' pennames, then you can go to their profile. At the bottom are stories they've written and their favorites. You can take a look at mine and see if anything grabs your attention, I guess.

**Character** **Index:**

(There actually is one! I had almost forgotten how to do one of these... ^^')

Ashei: Twilight Princess

Rutela: Twilight Princess

Darunia: Ocarina of Time

Kafei: Majora's Mask

**REVIEW!**


	19. Chapter 18

**WhiteXIII:** Hi guys! I'm not dead! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in forever! Life got crazy and I got lazy... That's got to be life's worst catchphrase. Anyways! Chapter 18 is finally here!

**MangaMaid4545: **Eh... Not the worst... But up in the top five.

**WhiteXIII:** Yeah... I kinda deserved that... THANKS TO: From Dust to Ashes, Anon, SupernalGodzilla, Great Angemon, ShadowMario3, A Shadow's Lament, Chibiness-O-Yeahh, Nint3ndozzzz, Evasme, Ellie, AyuTsukasa, Screen, lifeinhyrule, Sapphiet, ReinaAkanexx, Fabulanova780, patrick5400, Desert Rose, GameCivilization, Lars, burning book, Lost In Dreams19, dragoness of storm, Blighted114, whosahassa, trideity, TheMysteriousDude, ElectroNerd, Arcane Valor, Cherry blossom, SarcasticMustache, Guest, Drewyyy101, , RecentlygonInsane, dragonzoid2001, kingdomhearts4evar, LarissaRenee, NinjaThiefGirl2013, pyropus, Annie M, GlamAngel3766, Bella, Triforcing, MarshmelloKitten, 1davey29, PurpleNinjaFruit, Sartana, Fincolien TO THE END, Imario775, OzzieLiber-Tea, Wardiemoo, aipatchi, FlawlessCowboy2552, emerald night the alicorn, kittygirlthing97, Mischiefmanaged2371, amayj, gravyfan, Just A Fangirl XD, 0207, myah and Kenya, Soleilsniper, LunaTales, Magmatic12, Hi Im LuLu, Vivio312, ErasmusPier, AND Skydragon7419 FOR EVERYTHING!

Seriously, you guys are great and uber patient! Thank you so much!

Also, somebody had an interesting request and I was wondering what the rest of you readers thought:** how would you guys like me to write a "prequel" of sorts of Link's adventures growing up to the one we know and love in "Hyrule Academy"? **

Also! A special shout out to MangaMaid for helping me to get this chapter done on time! COOKIES FOR MANGAMAID!

ENJOY!

* * *

><p>Chapter 18<p>

_**Thursday**_

"I can't believe that actually worked!" Midna chirped happily. Her long, orange hair swung pendulum-like in her near skipping state. "I mean, Fanadi was totally fine giving us an extension on our paper on the Alternator!"

"Me neither," Zelda muttered absentmindedly. She turned another page.

Aryll sighed. "Well it only makes sense considering the excuse you used, _Midna._"

Midna's pale skin flushed with color. "Well… It was true…"

Another shake of Aryll's head as she recalled what Midna had said just the other day in Magic class: _"Um… Madame Fanadi… Zelda had a near death experience yesterday. Can we get an extension on our paper?"_

Aryll shot her friend another dirty look.

"What?" the Twili asked incredulously. "She gave us the extension. And Zelda didn't mind! Did ya, Zel?"

"Huh? Oh, whatever you say, Midna…" Another turn of the page and Zelda's brain was lost to the world of the book she was reading.

Aryll glanced at the title. "Another Alan Klyn."

Zelda nodded. "Great for therapy."

"I'm sure," Aryll sighed.

"So when are we going to get this thing done?"

Aryll sighed again. "I, uh… I'm actually mostly done with it. I some extra time last night while you at work, Midna, so I went ahead and got our interview and paper done… almost."

"You didn't have to do that, Ryll. We were supposed to do that paper together," Zelda finally managed as she snapped her book shut.

Midna scowled. "While I'm glad I didn't have to sit through some dumb interview and die writing possibly the most boring essay possibly invented… I'd have to agree with Zel on this one."

"It's okay, guys, really. I'm almost done with it, so there's no point in fighting over it."

"Yeah, but you're still not done," Midna pointed out. "How about you let me and Zel finish it?"

Aryll shook her head, annoyance spreading across her face. "I just need a signature."

"We can get it," Zelda offered with a smile, but Aryll only shook her head again. She wasn't going to let this go so easily.

Midna sighed, exasperated. "Ryll, it's a stinkin' paper! Why is this such a huge deal?"

"Why don't we go with you to get the signature?" As strange as Aryll was acting, it seemed as if something was weighing heavily on her mind. Had something happened recently at home that Midna didn't know about? Zelda instantly felt a pain in her gut. Had she been so wrapped up in the ordeals around the school that she had been so blind to her friends' pain?

After a moment of silence, Aryll finally relented. "If you're sure, I guess so…"

"We're sure," Midna grinned, calming down significantly.

They resumed their walk. "Whose signature do we need?"

"Link's."

"Why do we need Link's signature for the Alternator assignment?" Zelda queried.

"Colin!" Midna exclaimed. She laughed as she explained, "Since he's a minor, we needed his guardian's signature. I didn't even think about interviewing him! Genius, Aryll!"

She offered a small smile in response. "I told you it wouldn't be so bad."

Realization bloomed in Zelda's mind. This kind of an assignment was basically a cloaked medical record report and, since Colin was a minor, that kind of information would be sensitive. Zelda smiled before shaking her head, feeling relaxed once more.

Midna laughed before running ahead. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's just hurry up and get to-" She cut off abruptly before her gaze darkened.

"Mid? What is it…?"

"Mala."

Apprehension coursed through Zelda's veins as the Gerudo trio approached. Amira and Lila were laughing at something a rather smug looking Mala had said. Even after being suspended for a week, she still coursed the halls as if they belonged to her. She cast a few condescending glances to other students as she passed them by before making another joke to her friends.

Aryll wavered for a moment before taking a step back. "We should go," she spoke, though her hands shook slightly. But it was too late. Mala had spotted them and she had changed her group's course to collide with theirs.

Midna stepped forward, placing herself slightly in front of Aryll and, sensing her friend's unease, Zelda mimicked her. Knowing Midna's anger was about to burst, Zelda addressed the group first as they came to a halt in front of them. "Morning."

"Yes, it is," Mala noted, sending her friends in a giggling fit.

Midna glared and Zelda sent her a warning look.

Mala held her hands up. "Relax, Twi! I was kidding! Sheesh." She sighed before taking on a more serious tone. "Look. I just wanted to talk."

"About what?" Midna growled.

"About?" Zelda affirmed more politely.

A sigh, somewhere between agitated and defeated, escaped her lips. "I wanted to apologize."

Midna's brow shot through the roof. She… what?!

Mala turned her gaze on Aryll. "Sorry about what happened between us last week, Aryll. I was way out of line and shouldn't have acted the way I did. I shouldn't have burned you or ambushed you the way I did—that was low, I'll admit. I just… I'm sorry."

"H-hold on. You march back in here on your first day back, apologize and expect everything to be hunky dory?" Midna demanded, taking a step forward. "Listen here-"

"I accept your apology. Thanks, Mala," Aryll spoke without hesitancy before offering a small smile. "See you around school?"

Midna halted, looking dumbfounded.

Mala faltered before returning the gesture. "Yeah. Like we have a choice about it."

Aryll laughed. "No kidding. Well, we're kinda busy, so…"

"Later." The Gerudo nodded again before heading off, her lackeys trailing behind her.

"Well that was fun," Aryll said before starting down the hallway, leaving her friends to catch up with her.

Midna seemed to be in shock. "But why did you…?"

"Well, if I didn't forgive Mala, then there still would've been tension between us. Yeah, maybe it was something she was required to do, but at least she did it. Plus, if she really meant it, then maybe she'll actually leave us alone for once."

Midna deadpanned. "You know she won't."

Aryll shrugged. "A girl can dream. Besides, if she didn't really mean it, then she would just get really annoyed that I didn't try picking a fight."

Midna smiled wryly. "And who does that sound like, I wonder…"

The three girls laughed, Aryll shaking her head. "Well, he's my role model. Of course I picked up a couple of things from him. He's rubbed off on you too, like it or not."

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yeah-huh!"

Zelda smiled, dropping behind as she watched her friends laugh and converse. She felt like she was a stranger, intruding into their world. Zelda had always felt there was a part of Aryll's life that she didn't understood, something that she kept mostly to herself. That barrier was still there, but now it seemed Midna shared part of the load… They had grown closer, stronger. Aryll more self-confident and forward. Midna less rough. Zelda had her suspicions why and that only made the division seem greater.

Link.

He was possibly the person she trusted the most in the school. He always seemed to have her back and Zelda knew she could ask him anything and everything. He was on her side.

And yet she didn't feel she knew him at all.

Zelda shook her head, agitated. Why did this bother her so much? Hadn't she gone over this already? It didn't matter! Her eyes stung. But it did… It mattered to her. Why couldn't she figure him out?

Likes milk, green, cooking and History. He's protective of his family, serious, but kind. Friendly, but still shy… There was something missing, something from Link's life that placed a huge barrier between them, forcing her to keep her distance… College graduate… teacher… _my_ teacher…

Defeat filled her, leaving a crushed sensation in her chest. That's right… She could trust and talk to him all she wanted, but she could never know him the way Aryll and Midna did… But was that really all that separated them? That couldn't be it… Well, yeah, that was pretty huge, but… No, there was something else missing, something about him she didn't know.

Was it that something that changed Midna's mind about him? She had hated teachers, substitutes, _him_… What could she have learned that would've changed her mind in the course of an evening?

"Zelda? Hey, earth to genius!"

Zelda's head snapped up, her gaze coming to focus on her friends. They had stopped. "What?" she asked faintly.

Midna shook her head. "Daydreaming again? Seriously, you're almost getting as spacy as Link! And that's not really a good thing… He gets really spacy. I mean, he walked into a door yesterday... Okay. That's a mild example for him, but you get the idea."

_Not really…_ Zelda thought, but forced a smile in response instead.

"Speaking of whom, I need him to sign a paper for me. You guys wanna come?"

"As if there's anything else to do," Midna laughed before surging ahead. "Let's go!"

**…**

Link was at his desk as per usual, sifting through papers. He didn't seem to move from that spot much—or maybe Zelda wasn't around often enough to evidence of otherwise. Maybe that was why, as a child, she had believed teachers lived in their classrooms.

Aryll smiled. "Hi, Link."

His gaze flashed up before giving a small grin. "Hey, Ryll. What's up?"

The younger sister shrugged before turning to rummage in her backpack. "I just needed you to sign…"

Midna tilted her head to the side. "Hey! You're not wearing your gloves today. You always wear those suckers… Where are they?"

"Hm? Oh. Uh… I just thought I'd mix it up." He smiled pleasantly as he gestured to the leather bracelet around his wrist. "You know, just to be different."

"But… why?" Aryll asked. She had found the assumed paper for signing and was now watching her brother curiously.

Link sighed. "What's wrong with me changing up what I wear?"

"Why?" Aryll insisted.

He rubbed the back of his head. "I broke them."

Midna laughed. "Seriously?"

"You broke them?! How?"

"I worked 'em a bit too hard... But it's fine, Aryll! They're getting fixed. I should have them by tonight, okay?"

Midna and Zelda exchanged weird looks before shrugging. It was weird to see Link's actual hands—calloused, slim and strong.

Aryll nodded. "Can you sign this?" she asked, holding out the paper Zelda recognized to be the Alternator assignment. Link glanced over it for a moment before signing his name at the bottom.

"Oh, yeah… Link, what kind of magic do you have? I know I've been living with you guys and everything, but I've never asked…"

Link gave her a confused look as if he found the question peculiar. "Wild…"

"Oh! So you can do plant and wind magic, right?" When he nodded, Midna pressed, "Do you have a magic Control?"

"Midna," Zelda hissed under her breath. Why was she asking him about this? It was a personal matter! She might as well just ask him if he wore boxers or briefs!

"Yeah…" Link answered slowly. Before she could ask he added, "A Nullifier. No, I've never so much as been convicted of a crime let alone been sent to prison. It's a temporary thing."

_Because he strained his core…_ Zelda frowned. Nullifiers were common in hospitals too… At least he seemed to be doing okay since the incident.

"Thanks, Link," Aryll muttered as she hurriedly dragged her friends from the room. "We're going to go turn this in to Fanadi. See you in class!" As soon as they were down the hall, Aryll gave a quick smile. "Class is going to start soon. You guys know my combo, so would you get my stuff for first period while I drop this off at Fanadi's?"

Zelda nodded, taking Aryll's backpack from her. "No problem. See you soon!"

Aryll gave a nod before quickly disappearing around the corner. As soon as their friend was gone, Midna sighed. "I know Colin's medical stuff isn't really for us to see and everything, but… I kinda wish she'd trust us a little more."

"If it was your brother figure would you want anyone to know?" Zelda asked.

Midna shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe? Whatever, let's just get our junk and get to class. Today's gonna be a _long_ day. I can just feel it."

Zelda laughed. "You say that every day."

**…**

Farore sighed as she came to a dejected stop. Pushing her crutches off to the side, she took her usual position on the couch, her foot propped up and all.

A blue-haired woman sat across from a small table they had placed there just that morning. Her dainty hands were whispering over the surface of a glass sphere. She opened a knowing cerulean eye, observing her sister's behaviorisms before calmly speaking, "You knew this all was inevitable."

Green buns bobbed loosely from the top of Farore's head. "Yes… Of course _I_ knew… Even Secrets in Times to come cannot hide from me… And yet…"

After a few moments of silence, Nayru repeated, "And yet…?"

The green-eyed sister heaved a sheepish and weary sigh, "It never fails to surprise."

Nayru nodded as she began humming an ancient song. The sphere's smoky center whirled and shone, even through the well lit room. Blue-white light danced across Farore's eyes as she watched her sister work. After a few moments, the light died down, the singing stopped and Nayru opened her eyes again.

They were unsettlingly calm.

Farore hated when they were that way.

"Today it is," Farore breathed tiredly, strands of her hair falling around her pointed ears from her twin buns. "I only hope Link got the message…"

**PERIOD: 1. CLASS: History 101. ROOM: 317. SUBSTITUTE: Link Alavryn.**

"Geez! It's been forever since Linky boy taught this class that I almost forgot this was his job!" Midna exclaimed as Aryll finally sunk into the chair beside her.

"It hasn't been that long…" Zelda said slowly.

The Twili laughed. "Yeah, sure. But, for the last two classes we've had Dragmire and Lucem come in to substitute for our substitute. It's been a week! That's all I'm saying."

Aryll nodded. "You won't fall asleep this time?"

Midna laughed nervously. "I just hope it's more interesting than an evil pop quiz and a snore worthy lecture."

The three girls laughed as the rest of the class filtered into the room. The door by Link's desk opened and the said man appeared. He gave a smile to the class as he proceeded to the door, "To your seats!"

"On Farore's lesson plan, it said we were going to be going over the Spiritual Stones today!" Zelda said excitedly. "I think this is going to be a fascinating lesson!"

Midna put her head on the desk. "Maybe this will be a sleeping period…" Zelda and Aryll gave their playful friend a play slap on the arm, causing the Twili to recede her last comment.

Link began to write on the board, "Now, who can tell me what happened to the Spiritual Stones after…" He paused, his eyes flickering to the back of the classroom.

Confused, students turned to the sound of the door clicking shut. Zelda paled as she found Mr. Dragmire calmly walking away from the door to casually stand against the wall. He gave a small wave to the class as he spoke, "I'm just here to watch my niece for a spell. Please, continue as if I'm not here."

Link gave the gym teacher a stiff nod before regaining his classroom's attention and finishing his question, "Who can tell me what happened to the Spiritual Stones after the Hero of Time returned?"

A Kokiri boy raised his hand before answering, "Weren't they lost to time?"

"Very good," Link answered with a nod.

"So why are we studying about them if they're lost? I mean, it's not like they're going to be anywhere around here or even help us in the future. The displays they have in the local museum are only replicas since they apparently broke," Midna said, rolling her eyes.

A Rito girl chided, "But that's only a rumor! Nobody knows for certain if they were destroyed—we just have no idea where to find them."

"Maybe they never existed," another student piped up.

"But then how would the Hero of Time have gotten into the Sacred Realm?" the Kokiri boy asked.

"But then why can't we find them now?"

"Because they broke, stupid!" Ryota exclaimed.

"Well if they broke, why didn't they put them back together?"

"You can't put gems back together!"

"I meant the Three!"

"Enough!" Link exclaimed. He pointed a yardstick at Ryota. "I understand you disagree, but that is no excuse to disrespect your fellow classmates. Everyone, I understand you all have questions on this subject—that's why you're in my class. However, rumors and speculation get us nowhere, so I suggest we pay attention to the lesson to find what history does show about this topic."

"Well, wait… Did they break? Or were they lost?" a Rito girl asked.

Link sighed before setting down his yardstick. "There are no historical assurances as to what happened to the Stones—only that they were lost. I have a question for you: now why do you think they wouldn't make this public knowledge of what happened to the Stones?"

"So Power-hungry maniacs don't get ahold of the Triforce," Midna said, giving a pointed look at Ganondorf.

Despite himself, Link smiled. "Yes, I suppose that is one way to put it. Perhaps more eloquently said: so the Triforce and Sacred Realm would be protected from those that would abuse its power."

"So you mean to tell us that this lesson is nothing?" Amira asked skeptically.

Another smile. "Quite the contrary."

"But why are we studying this if there's no point? There was no point, Stones were lost…"

"Well, not exactly," Zelda corrected, causing Link to bite his lip. "They were just lost. So someone could find them again."

"So they do exist?" a student asked, confused. The class turned to face Link, who was gazing at the back wall broodingly.

Zelda shrugged. "They still could…"

"Well do they? Could somebody still find the Spiritual Stones in modern day?" Takeo asked, garnering the class's full attention to Link, who sighed.

"Do you all remember the incident surrounding the accident at this academy nine years ago?" he asked, his blue eyes pensive.

A few students exchanged confused looks. "But what does that have to do with the Stones?"

"Well, since we're on the topic of rumors… This incident is a rather hot topic in regards to the concepts we are studying today."

Confusion shifted to curiosity as many students turned excited eyes to their substitute. What happened at the school nine years ago? There were many stories of what had happened, but, honestly, the student body didn't believe a word anybody had said. But, whatever had happened, it couldn't be proved since no one was actually there to provide an official report.

With all eyes on him, Link began, "Nine years ago, as we all know, there was an incident with the school in which a large portion of the building was destroyed in an explosion. There is a rumor that the Spiritual Stones were at the site."

"Wait! So the Spiritual Stones blew up the school?!" a Rito squeaked.

Link shook his head. "Not exactly. As I'm sure Farore mentioned in her previous lessons, after the era of the Hero of Time, the Sacred Realm was Blessed by the Three to teleport itself through time and space in order to avoid being found by those who were found to be undeserving. However, as a result of Demise's curse, it always seems to be that a person of evil does find it." Link half-growled the last part as his gaze scanned past Ganondorf.

He continued, "This rumor supposes that someone gathered the three Spiritual Stones and used them to open the door to the Sacred Realm."

"So, wait… The Sacred Realm was in our school?!" Ryota exclaimed, his eyes practically bulging out.

Link nodded slowly. "That's how the rumor goes."

"So that means it moved? We could've seen it and it moved?!" a student exclaimed, as many others gave each other shocked glances.

Ganondorf's eyes narrowed.

Zelda blinked slowly, processing the information.

"But is there any proof of that?" Mala asked.

"There is no conclusive evidence for this. However, if you look at each of the Heroes throughout legend, you will find that the Sacred Realm is located in a different spot in each legend. It is because of this that historians suppose the Realm changes position every time the door is opened."

Zelda's brow scrunched. That wasn't quite right… If that was the case, then the Realm would change location every time a Hero opened it. She opened her mouth to speak, but was quickly cut off as she felt a jabbing pain in her thigh. Looking to the side, she found Aryll silently shaking her head.

"Miss Hykarin, have you something to add?" Link asked.

She smiled shyly. "Uh… No, Mr. Alavryn. I just… stubbed my toe." As if to prove her point, she shifted slightly, uncomfortable.

Resuming the lesson, a student asked, "Well if it's true that the Sacred Realm did open, then what happened to the Triforce? I mean, whenever the Realm opens, the Triforce is either returned or let loose."

Link nodded. "That's true. With this in mind, the rumor we've been discussing has speculated the school's explosion was a result of the Triforce being broken apart and Power going out of control and destroying the building."

Zelda's eyes widened. The door had been opened… She resisted the urge to rub her right hand. She glanced between Ganondorf and Link before speaking slowly, "So you mean to tell us that, if the door opened and the Triforces flew out, there's going to be a battle between Wisdom and Power?"

"That would be the rumor's conclusion, yes."

At the back of the room, Ganondorf scowled.

"Well, then wouldn't the charms help them to put the Triforce back?" a Goron asked.

"Charms? What charms?"

The Goron continued, "When the Stones broke, there was a rumor that the Sages took the fragments and put them into items and then hid them somewhere in Hyrule. They act kinda like keys to the Sacred Realm as well."

A grin spread across Ganondorf's face.

"That's just a silly, old rumor," a girl said.

"Nuh-uh! Zelda wrote a paper on it!"

The class's attention suddenly diverted as thirty heads swiveled in the blonde's direction. Zelda spoke quietly, "I did say it was a rumor."

Disappointed, the class's attention dissipated.

"Well, where did you get all this information, Miss Hykarin? Surely, you must've based your research off of some reliable source."

Zelda felt her body freeze, her chest contracted as breathing became difficult.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Dragmire, but Zelda is a student here and I am the teacher on this subject. If you have a question, please feel free to ask me at another time. For now, this class is mine and I have a lesson to finish. I trust you've had enough time to check on your niece?"

With Ganondorf's gaze broken, Zelda felt her body relax and sink back into its normal rhythms.

Ganondorf gave a taut smile before nodding. "Of course," he muttered as he slipped out the back door.

Satisfied that his nemesis was gone, Link suddenly grinned. "Well, now that we have effectively spent the duration of class talking about rumors, each of you will now have to read pages 136-150 as homework tonight."

The class groaned at the assignment.

**…**

"Well that was eventful," Midna half-yawned as she stretched at the end of class. "Was it just me or was that lesson going in circles?"

Aryll shrugged as she started towards the door. "We should probably get going," she muttered instead.

Zelda nodded, her head feeling as if it weighed a ton. She stood shakily.

Aryll frowned. "Are you alright, Zel? You're looking pretty pale…"

The violet-eyed Hylian nodded, insistent. "Yes, I'm just a little dizzy is all…"

Link suddenly appeared by the three girls, frowning. "Are you sure, Miss Hykarin? You're shaking."

Zelda nodded slowly, though she could feel herself faltering. "I'm fine…" She gave him a tired smile before attempting to walk away, only to have her knees give way beneath her. But instead of the ground coming to greet her, she was steadied by a strong pair of arms.

"Zel!" Midna and Aryll exclaimed as they came closer to their friend.

"You're fine? Really?" Midna scoffed incredulously. "You're totally woozy!"

Link seemed contemplative for a moment before turning his gaze to his sister. "Aryll, I need you to go to Mr. Studres' class and let him know that Miss Hykarin will be a little late today. Midna, will you go tell Impa that I will be bringing Zelda to her office in a few minutes?"

The two girls nodded before running to do as they were told, both with concerned expressions.

Link's own face mimicked theirs as his blue eyes came to rest on Zelda. "What happened?" he asked gently.

Zelda shook her head, ready to deny anything and everything, when she stopped. Link was there to help her, she could trust him. She took a shaky breath before admitting, "I started feeling weak in class. When Mr. Dragmire asked me that question and looked at me, I couldn't look away… I felt paralyzed, weak and my chest hurt…"

The blond sub nodded slowly, his gaze pensive as he considered her words. After a few moments of silence he spoke, "Hm… Well, your core doesn't seem to be damaged—it's just very drained. A little bit of rest with Impa should clear that up… What is it? Is something wrong, Miss Hykarin?"

"You looked at my core?!" Zelda asked, her face turning scarlet at the idea. _I know I almost looked at yours when the car incident happened, but… You actually… ONLY COUPLES DO THAT! AND DOCTORS! You… We… Neither of those apply here!_

Link blinked a few times as if he didn't understand the meaning behind Zelda's embarrassment. He cocked his head to the side. After another moment, his cheeks suddenly turned beet read. "Y-Yes… I-I had thought Ganon might've put a draining spell on you, but I think he actually tried to paralyze you entirely so he could have an easier time entering your thoughts… However, I believe your Triforce put a barrier around your mind and that's why he was unable to glean anything from you." Link offered a smile, "In other words… you beat him at his own game. Congrats. His magic is very powerful."

"You looked at my core…" she repeated numbly. Then, after a moment of thought, "Wait… Mr. Dragmire… was trying to get into my head?"

"Keyword: tried. He didn't succeed. You're fine, and should be even better after resting at Impa's office. Can you walk?"

"I think so…" Zelda started before stopping abruptly. She was in Link's arms… He was holding her… She gulped. He had caught her when she fell and… hadn't… let go. The red in her cheeks reached her ears as she muttered, "Um… Y-you can let go of me now…"

"Hm? Oh!" Link's face suddenly flushed as he abruptly obliged to Zelda's request. "Right! Well, you, uh… ready to go?"

Zelda nodded and, as Link turned to lead the way, allowed a smile to press across her face. _He _is_ forgetful… and still shy._

**PERIOD: Lunch. PLACE: Farore's Classroom.**

As much as Zelda usually enjoyed Mr. Studres' lessons, she couldn't bring herself to pay attention. She had questions that needed answering and she had quite the list. While Mr. Shad was talking about how the anatomy of spiders, Zelda had buried herself into her list. Looking at the twenty or so questions scribbled across the parchment, she finally nodded, content. That would be a good start—wouldn't want to ask too many and overwhelm Link.

She bit her lip as she mulled over what had happened in class. He had been acting so strangely… almost like he was trying to tell her something without saying it to the whole class… _Or to Mr. Dragmire,_ she mused. Her brow scrunched in sudden concern. If Mr. Dragmire had gone in there… the way Link looked at him… Was Link as involved in this whole mess as much as she was?

Midna shuddered as the three girls trekked to their lockers. "Geez. As small and insignificant as spiders are, I really didn't care to know how they caught their prey, their lifecycle and all that lovely, disgusting junk."

Aryll laughed. "Oh, come on, Mid. You're not afraid of spiders, are you?"

The Twili gave a mock offended look as she pulled her locker open. "Aryll! How dare you insult my nonexistent fear of arachnids! I am hurt!" The two friends laughed openly before Midna continued, "Nah, I'm not. But I might be if Link put them in my food…"

"I think you'd have to worry about that more with Grandma's cooking," Aryll admitted, causing both girls to shudder. "Bleh. Hey, Zel, aren't you going to get your lunch?"

Zelda smiled before exchanging her things for the next half of her day. "Yeah, but you guys can go ahead of me."

"You sure?"

The blond nodded adamantly. "Yeah! I have to go talk to a teacher about an extra credit assignment." She internally cringed at the blatant lie she was feeding her friends. She wasn't even sure why she was lying, but something about the conversation that was about to unfold seemed like it needed to be kept secret… Zelda made a mental note to tell her friends later—she'd probably need their help and assurance.

"You and your extra credit," Midna laughed. "Well, whatever. Have fun with that! Aryll and I are going to eat."

"See you at the usual table?"

Zelda nodded. "Probably, but I'm not sure how long this will take…"

"Did extra credit, then talks to teacher about the subject for hours on end." Midna sighed. "To each her own, I guess."

Zelda laughed. "I know, I know. I'll see you guys later!"

"See ya," her friends chanted back before heading out to eat.

Excitement coursed through Zelda's veins as she bounded up the steps and wound her way around the corners to room 317, to Link, to answers. For once, everything felt lively and at ease. The larks were singing ballads, the maple trees were dancing in the wind and the sunlight was beaming through the school's large windows. Zelda gave a little jump as she let this energy fill her. A few students spared her weird looks, but she didn't care as she half ran the rest of the way to her destination.

She paused outside the door, messing with her hair and trying to compose herself. This was it. A smile bubbled to the surface, unrestrained. It felt as if she had waited a lifetime for this! She breathed a slow, steadying breath as she pressed her fingers against the cool oak door. _Here we go! _

_"Mr. Alavryn, I don't get it!"_

Zelda paused. She knew that voice… Pushing the door open only a crack, she peered in to see none other than Mala Dragmire weaving her way towards Link, who was sitting at his desk.

_Mala? No… She can't be here while I'm asking Link questions—what if she finds out?_ She clenched her binders closer to her, resisting panic. _Can I even go in there without arousing suspicion? …Maybe I'll just wait until she leaves. Yeah, that could work._

"What is it that's giving you difficulties?" the blond asked calmly, putting his work aside.

Mala shrugged uselessly as she came to stand near Link. "I don't understand this part… I mean, if the Sacred Realm is all good power, then why are there a bunch of monsters surrounded its premises?"

Link nodded slowly. "A good question. Yes, the Sacred Realm is a place with an overwhelming sensation of good magic. It's because of that force that monsters are attracted to that place. As to why, we're not sure since we can't understand monster speech."

Mala giggled. "Okay, so they're basically attracted to the power that's there?"

"Precisely."

She gave a small 'hooray' before returning to her desk. "Geez, I never realized how much I missed in your last classes." Embarrassed, she admitted, "I've never been that great at History. Thank you so much for your help."

Link gave her a polite smile. "Of course. That's what I'm here for."

Zelda groaned silently. It looked like Mala wasn't going to leave. Zelda bit her lip, disappointment nipping at her. So she wasn't going to get her answers after all… But that didn't mean she couldn't show Link the list! Her mind made up, she pushed the door open a little more and strode in.

"Miss Hykarin," Link greeted with a calm smile. "How may I help you?"

Zelda forced a smile as she walked past a suspicious looking Mala. "Oh, I just wanted to turn in my extra credit assignment. I know it's not due yet, but I wanted to turn it in before I forgot." She held her list out to him.

Seeming to understand her meaning, he took the paper, glanced over it and gave her a smile. "This looks great, Miss Hykarin. I look forward to reading your thesis on the evolution of the Ocarina and its influence on the royal family."

Zelda nodded enthusiastically as Link slipped the piece of paper into his briefcase. "I knew the Ocarina of Time was important to our culture and history, but I never realized why it was an Ocarina in particular. I mean, it could've been a lyre, a fife or a harp. But they chose-"

"There's an extra credit assignment?" Mala suddenly interrupted as she came to stand by Link's desk again.

Link smiled. "For those looking for it."

"Great!" The Gerudo beamed, "Could I try it, too?"

The blond sub nodded before grabbing a sticky note and writing out the assignment. "A one page paper on why the instrument which was endowed with the ability of time travel was an Ocarina. Due by the end of Wednesday next week, preferably."

Mala grinned as she accepted the note. "Great! I'll get right on it. Oh, and I had another question…"

"Alright. How may I be of assistance?"

Zelda suppressed a smile. The waiters at _Romani's_ said that a lot. She cleared her throat before excusing herself to Lunch and making a quick exit.

"Oh, Miss Hykarin," Link called after her as she reached the door. Zelda paused, looking at him over her shoulder. "I should have your extra assignment added in sometime tomorrow."

Tomorrow, then. Zelda smiled. "Thanks a lot, Mr. Alavryn!"

He gave her a knowing nod before returning his educating attention to Mala.

Without another moment of hesitation, Zelda started on her trek to lunch, a slight skip in her step. Link was a really great improviser! Just making up an assignment like that… Or was there really an extra credit—_not now, Zelda_, she scolded herself internally. But there was a thought that was bothering her.

Why did Mala suddenly care about her grades?

She had never seemed to care before. Mala was always the 'I'm too good for school!' kind of a girl… Could it be that her uncle had her spying on Link? Was it because of what happened in class? Or did Mr. Dragmire figure out that she and Link were working together now and he wanted to prevent or monitor their communication? She shook her head. The way she was thinking about Link almost made it sound like the fate of Hyrule was riding on the two of them. She forced a scoff and thought, _Ridiculous_!

**…**

Crashing resounded throughout the Gym teacher's office as Ganondorf bashed his computer into the wall. The legs from his chair lay splintered against the ground, his personal locker leaned pathetic, dented and doorless against the opposite wall with its contents strewn across the floor.

_"And you're sure about this?"_ a voice cackled from the corner.

Ganondorf nodded, his fists clenching. "Yes, I'm sure, Kotake. His students wouldn't let him drop the subject: the stones have been destroyed. And the Sacred Realm has been moved—it's no longer here."

_"I told you not to break the Stones in the first place," Koume scolded._

He glared at the wall. "You're the one who told me to in the first place, Koume. I thought you said it would prevent anyone from following me into the Realm, but we both know _that _didn't work."

_"What you mean to say about this new information…" _Kotake started, redirecting the conversation. _"Is that the entrance is not here, the stones are destroyed and the Zelda girl knows we're hunting her now?"_

Fuming, Ganondorf nodded. Years of silent observance and untraceable attacks on the youngest Hykarin member all gone to waste in a matter of minutes. And it was all thanks to _Alavryn._ He roared as his fist came down, striking his desk and splintering it in two.

_"Did you learn anything that could possibly help us in our cause?" _Koume queried.

His golden eyes suddenly sparked to life. He stood, a grin spreading across his face. "The students spoke of a rumor…" Before his surrogate mothers could cut him off, he continued, "A rumor that says the Sages took the broken Stone remnant pieces and placed them into… charms."

Ganondorf could hear the smiles in their voices as Koume asked, _"And just where are these 'charms?'"_

"Hidden," Ganondorf shrugged the problem off. "But, if we can find them, then we can open the Realm again and finish what we started."

"_We need the location of the Austiora first. Without that, the stones are worthless."_

Koume continued on her sisters thought, _"As are the girl and Alavryn… Since we must begin again in search of the door and stones… Why not start completely from scratch?"_

Ganondorf grinned as he saw a tiny arachnid scuttle across the floor. Scooping the eight-legged creature into his hand he spoke, "Yes, I do believe you're right… It's time to start again. In a new place, with new keys and, most importantly… new Bearers." He leaned close to the spider, whispered a few words and let it scamper off.

**PERIOD: 4. ROOM/CLASS: Gym. TEACHER: Mr. Dragmire.**

"I'm late…" Zelda muttered as she ran to the Gym after quickly changing her uniform. As much as she loved Ancient Hylian, she probably shouldn't have spent the extra time to talk to her teacher. She skidded around the corner before ducking into the Gym. "Sorry I'm late, Mr…" Confusion seized her as she looked about the empty room.

Her brow furrowed as she walked further into the room. "Hello?" she called. She stopped a few steps in, her hands resting on hips. "They must've gone outside…" she mused. Shrugging, she turned to go back, but found the door had closed.

"That's funny…" Zelda muttered, a bad feeling forming in the pit of her stomach as she headed towards it. She pushed against it, but the door wouldn't budge.

It was locked.

She laughed tightly. "Come on, Midna, Aryll, this isn't funny!" After a few moments of silence, she pounded on the door. "You guys? …Mala?" She threw the last name out in an act of desperation. There was no response.

The feeling in her gut worsened and was soon confirmed by a clicking noise.

Zelda's skin pricked uncomfortably as she turned to scan the room… It was still empty. Hesitantly, Zelda took a step further into the gymnasium.

Click.

Was there something she was missing? Something white flashed at the corner of Zelda's eye. She spun, finding to find white material draping across the door and wall where she had come from.

Clack.

Dread filled Zelda's chest as she braced herself and finally looked up.

Her gaze was met by a giant eye.

Zelda felt a scream rip through her throat as the Gohma dropped from the ceiling towards its prey.

* * *

><p><strong>WhiteXIII: <strong>Yep! That's right, folks! Here comes the crazy action! Hope you caught what happened in Link's class because everything's about to change. :D

**MangaMaid4545:** Oh goodness. *Walks off with cookie jar* I need sugar intake now... (it's WhiteXIII's cookie jar...)

**WhiteXIII:** Be sure to drop me a review! What'd you guys think of that fluff? :D (There will be no Character List in honor of it's freakishly late and I have work in the morning...) ^^' YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! Wait... AH! MANGAMAID! GIVE IT BACK! T^T

**Review Responses****:**

_SarcasticMustache:_ Haha. It's fine. Wow. O Spastic One got addicted to that show, too. Maybe I'll have to check it out… Anyways! This response will be shorter than normal because I'm short on time. Sorry! ^^'

1.)I'm glad you liked the Aurea debate! I was pleased with how well it turned out. Honestly, I thought it would be rockier than that. XP And, yes, the Aurea are my own creation.

2.)I love cheese—it's one of my favorite foods. Have you ever had Gouda? It's so good!

3.)How do I think their personalities work? :D You will find out as time goes on. ^^ And they work together in different ways in different fics—I don't like writing the same thing over and over again. Variety rules!

4.)Thanks! I'm glad that you have so much confidence in me. I think "Requiem of Time" will get to the point that it surpasses this story in terms of awesomeness, though it may never be as popular… It will, however, be better written. XP

5.)Yeah. I feel like I want to try being a little more vague and leave more details up to interpretation… Just to see how that goes. Not sure if I'll do that with this story since it'd mess with my writing a little bit, but maybe another one…

6.)Sure? I'm not entirely positive myself. It varies.

7.)You won't know until you try. :) If you wanted to write something, I'd love to take a look at it—I think that'd be so fun! Besides, it'd be payback for all these great reviews you leave me! (And it's really fun for me—I love co-authoring things.) My writing style? In fancy English terms, I'd say Latinate (pretty, flowy, artistic), Anglo-Saxon (straight forward). It depends on my mood. Other than that, I'm not sure how I'd describe it. What kind of words would you use to convey that?

8.)MAKE AN ACCOUNT! I want to talk to you more than once a month so bad! I feel like we could have some great conversations on writing, character development and cheese! It'd be great! Plus, you'd know when I update after six-ish months of waiting… ^^' And you'd get instant response to reviews and alerts as to when I'm about to update…

9.)If you click on my penname at the top of the page, then you should be taken to my Profile. There I have a bunch of shows/pairings (which are all essentially OTP's) that I like. I might be tempted to do one of those, but Zelda is what I'm really good with.

10.) Haha. I'd be happy if you just came back… I miss you!

_Anon:_ Haha. Thanks. I appreciate that. :) What was your favorite part of Ch. 18?

_Bella:_ Again, sorry that update took so long. Brain blocks are evil! Thanks for the review! What was your favorite part of this chapter? What are you looking forward to in later chapters?

_Ellie:_ A masterpiece? Wow. Thanks! ^/^ I'm glad you're enjoying the plot so much. Haha. Oh, yes, Link does that effect on women, doesn't he? :D How well do you think it would work on Zelda? Thanks for taking the time to review! I look forward to hearing from you again!

_Desert Rose:_ Uh-oh! Could you get your password changed through your email or something? I'm glad you liked the chapter! Thanks for your support!

_Lars:_ Haha. Yeah. Link has many special abilities. May he have luck utilizing them. :) Okay. I'll keep that in mind. :D Haha. Don't worry about your grammar too much. It's okay. You seem to read English pretty well and I think that's awesome! I can't really read another language… Except for Latin… sorta. ^^' It's okay that you review twice, but, I'll admit, the second one was a little hard for me to understand. What was it that you had to say?

_myah and Kenya:_ Sorry the update took so long—I hope you two enjoyed it and that it was worth the wait. What exactly is it about this story that you like so much? I'm curious. ^^ Thanks for taking the time to review, Myah and Kenya!

_Cherry blossom:_ Haha. I'm glad you like this so much! It makes brain block wars worth fighting and time worth taking, especially when I hear how happy it makes my readers. :) Haha. Yeah, I'd like this story to start getting crazy like "Requiem of Time"—this one just has more build up than that one, I guess… ^^' One of my co-authors/editors, O Spastic One, is obsessed with that show and MangaMaid likes it as well. Thanks for taking the time to review!

_Guest:_ Thanks! I'm glad you like this story so much. What was your favorite part?

_RecentlygonInsane_: A prequel? I've never really thought about it… Do you mean a prequel that's specifically about Link before he gets to the point where he is in this story? Haha. Yeah, 27 was the age he stated in chapter 1. :D Thanks for your review! I think you'll really enjoy the next chapter. :)

_Annie M:_ I fully intend to take this story to the end—no matter how long it takes! I'm glad you like this so much and I'd love to hear from you some more. Thank you so much for taking the time to review!

**REVIEW!**


	20. Chapter 19

**WhiteXIII: **Alright. After much delay and a couple weeks of writing, drafting and editing, the next chapter is finally up! Apparently if I don't write for a couple months, my writing really suffers... I feel bad for MangaMaid4545 and O Spastic One... my poor editors, but they're great! If you think this chapter is awesome, then send them a shout out. :D

**MangaMaid4545:** Hi People. Bye People. *Walks off* Back to my writing that I got pulled away from.

**WhiteXIII:** And that, dear readers, was a cameo from my favorite co-author/editor. ^^'

**MangaMaid: ***from off screen* I said HI! What else was I supposed to say?!

**WhiteXIII: **Nothing, nothing. Return to your writing! I'll see you later! (to work on your stuff).

**MangaMaid:** Fine. *shuts door*

**WhiteXIII:** She's tired... We just finished editing today. ^^' Anyways, THANKS TO: Pen of Silver, Vaele, Fiver64, 6teenana1, wolflink207, Darkblaze40, HauntedLover99, espeonlover, Thunderblade14, Cbtgirl, Nrnala, Veeolman, Oxiee, twilihime, coolboy0440, Thracer, Fierymuffinsloz, dracon867, burning book, boffyrox, ZeLinkFanGirl, The Hero of Hyrule, MasterZero4, pokemondude61962, Guest (Literally Killed), Madam Fiction, The Thorned Rose, MissShortPants, Link7507, CyLiP40, MasterShortPantsx3, Cigs98, Viviana's Tears, Guest (Freakin' Hooked), cullinto, DokuMidori, Superstar1702, Wouldstock, darkdoll25, sneakyz, jolibeb, HookshotHero, GamerTacticsInc, ViaDite, rizeleth, Kxeya, Total Romance Fan, Moon Princess016, Guest (Gohmas), BeautifulCreatur, Guest (NOW), DPlova, Spaz-attack101, Guest (05), Woobieguygirl, Silver, kingdomhearts4evar, Guest (reread), Guest (shaking), NinjaMonkeyGirl2014, Esparia, Maraya Prower, Tabbycat270, Magical Guest, Guest (Suspense), whosahassa, dragoness of storm, Evasme, HenryTheWise, Zelink moments, the witch in your heart, dbzfan8, Chibiness-Oh-Yeahh, and Chimpzrule FOR EVERYTHING!

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter 19<p>

_Thursday Cont._

Link's gaze was tight, burning holes into the gray carpet as he paced, restless, in his empty classroom. His thumb and forefinger pressed against his chin as Link bit into the latter digit.

The secret of the charms. _He_ knew.

He recalled the last time he had visited his patroness and the warning she had extended, "There are certain events that are to come in which the secrets you hold will be released. To Ganondorf and to others. You cannot control everything that is said, but there are some things that must be revealed and others that should not..." Reaching the end of the room, Link turned and worked his way to the other end.

Doubt filled him. Had he succeeded? Had he swayed Ganondorf enough that the information Link had twisted into lies would be believed? Or was Farore's warning in vain? In the space of an hour, Hyrule's fate had hung with Link as its only guardian and he couldn't protect its most valued secret.

Farore's prediction had come true. He knew it would—they always did—but that didn't prevent Link's hopes of avoiding such an event. He could've dodged the questions the class kept posing, but Ganondorf would still have known what to look for and avoiding answers would only have served to fuel his curiosity and cement his suspicions. He would've gone looking. The only hope to buy time was to take Farore's advice and to move quickly. It was only a matter of time before Dragmire began his search for the Charms. As much as Link hated to admit it, it would only be a matter of time before he found his quarry.

Link drew his other fisted hand from his pocket to run his fingers through his hair. He stopped for a moment, his gaze tightening shut. Of all the things Ganondorf had to learn from him, why did it have to be _that_? He could destroy Hyrule for centuries to come.

That wasn't all.

His gaze flashed open as he remembered Farore's final warning. It wasn't only Hyrule's secrets that were in jeopardy, but his as well.

He shook his head firmly. This wasn't a time to be worrying about such things. Ganondorf now knew he had to start again with his search. What that could possibly mean for the rest of the school, for Zelda. Would he…? _You're just paranoid…_ he scolded himself internally. He chewed his lip for a moment before glancing at the door. After a moment he sighed, straightened his jacket and slipped into the empty corridor.

**…**

Zelda's hands shook as the Gohma bounded away, hissing and clacking. The blue, crystalline barrier around her faded as she took a few steps back. She fought to control her breathing as she kept her gaze on the Gohma, which seemed temporarily stunned since slamming into her protective spell. Keeping the giant spider in her range of vision, Zelda quickly took the room in, looking for any possible escape or weapon she could use if all else failed. Webs lined the room, covering the walls as if it had been standing in abandon for eons and hiding the door she had entered through moments ago. She was trapped. The white almost made it seem ethereal, but knowing the creature that had produced such an effect in the last few seconds, Zelda quickly discarded the idea. Swallowing, Zelda returned her attention to the Gohma, or rather, where it had been last.

She had taken her eyes away.

Her head cast around fervently, searching for the creature and readying her magic to cast Nayru's Love when necessary. Remembering when she had first entered the room, Zelda looked up. The Gohma's eye was staring at her as it trampled across the ceiling. Unsure of what else to do, Zelda took off running.

**…**

Link sighed, running a hand through his hair. "This is stupid. What am I even doing here?" Without thinking about it, his feet had carried him to Ganondorf Dragmire's office. The blond sub looked around the deserted hallways with annoyance. He couldn't hear the usual squeaking of sneakers in the gym or smell the overpowering scent of perfume permeating the air, so the girls weren't inside for class today. Link frowned. The lack of smells and sounds unsettled him. Breathing deeply, he closed his eyes and concentrated, focusing his attention to the atmosphere around him and the Triforce on his left hand. After a moment he opened his eyes and his frown deepened, "Nothing. I don't sense anything nearby…" He sighed again. "Geez, Link. You're getting paranoid in your old age."

He turned as if to start back to his classroom when he stopped. Something _was_ wrong. It was faint though. He paused letting his senses reach out. Was that _magic_? His left hand twitched slightly. If there was a beast, he should've sensed it earlier. His gaze narrowed. There was magic, lots of it. A barrier, perhaps? But where? Link started forward, but stopped abruptly when he heard a voice calling his name.

"Mr. Alavryn!"

Link spun on his heel and forced a pleasant smile onto his face. "Miss Dragmire, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in class?"

Panting, Mala grabbed onto her knees for support. "Mr. Alavryn, Zelda hasn't come to class yet and, when I walked past the Gym I could hear screams, but the door was jammed shut! I think she's in trouble!" Mala blurted.

Link's gaze widened as he took off running.

Panting, Lila and Amira came to stand by their leader's side. Confused, Amira snapped, "Mala, what the heck are you doing? Mr. Dragmire said to keep him _away_ from the Gym!"

Mala shrugged and started to walk away. "Oh, well. I guess we couldn't find him…"

Amira and Lila exchanged perplexed glances, but said nothing more before following their friend.

**…**

Zelda quickly dodged behind a sheet of webbing and pressed her back against the wall. If the Gohma couldn't see or sense her, it would give up eventually… right? Heart hammering, she did her best to quiet her breathing, but her mind was going a million miles an hour. What the heck was that thing doing here? Gohma's were only a myth, creatures which existed in works of fiction like _The Ocarina of Time_! They weren't real! _Apparently they are, Zel, so think! _Frantic, she scrambled for ideas. What did she know about Gohmas? They were big spiders, often ate stray travelers… The last thought resounded through her mind. Her classmates. Where were they? Horror spread through Zelda at the idea of the spider monster eating her classmates. Her heart sped up again as she tried to erase the idea from her mind. _They're okay. I'm okay. I'm calm… Weakness… It must have a weakness…_

A screech resounded through Zelda's ears and a small squeak escaped her lips as the creature came to a halt nearby her.

Feeling as if she would drown from her heart's pounding, Zelda peered around the webbed wall. It almost looked like any other grotesquely large spider, except for the fact it was missing a pair of legs and seven extra eyes. Not to mention, it was purple and was armored by scales, particularly around the legs. It whipped around to face her, causing Zelda to shrink back. She had seen enough of its face. A shiver rushed through her spine as she recalled the creature's claw-like pincers, red-stained teeth and single, yellow and green eye, which resided at the creature's center.

After another moment of scrabbling around the room, ripping up bits and pieces of the floor as it went, the spider turned and scurried up the wall.

Zelda sank against the wall, her gaze frozen on the classroom in front of her. She tried to focus again, searching her mind for any lore she could recall on the monster before her, but nothing came. Even if she could remember the creature's weakness, there was no way she could exploit it. Escape was the only option. _If I stay here, it could still find me… I need to find a way out… if there is one._ Steeling herself, Zelda stood again and inched toward the edge of her hiding place and looked around the web-coated walls. _Coast clear…_ She took a shaky breath before starting forward.

A howling shadow fell before her with a crash. The Gohma gave another shrill cry as it balanced itself on its abdomen and brought its four legs above its head. Zelda screamed as the monster brought its legs crashing against the wall on either side of her head.

The blonde dropped to the ground as fast as she could, only to be knocked off her feet by the force. A few wall fragments fell around Zelda as she scrambled to her feet.

The Gohma's lined eye narrowed beneath its thick eyelids as it finally caught sight of its prey. It brought its legs down in another attack and lunged forward, its pincers snapping.

If Zelda had any oxygen to spare, she would've screamed. Adrenaline coursed through her body, somehow getting her to her feet once more. As the Gohma's legs fell, Zelda jumped forward and half-rolled under the spider's attack. As soon as she was on the other side, she started to run blindly. She glanced over her shoulder, seeking her attacker, but found nothing. Zelda came to an abrupt halt, gasping for air and whipping her head around. Where was it? Her breath hitched as she recalled what happened when she had walked into the room. Her gaze shot skyward and quickly met the Gohma's gaze head on.

The Gohma dropped from the ceiling again, giving the girl no time move as it crashed once more onto the Gym floor. Wood splintered beneath the monster's rock-hard abdomen and the floor shook with a violent tremor, forcing Zelda off balance. She stumbled back, until she fell against something. Proprioception restored, Zelda tried to move herself to start running again, but found something resisting her motions. Something in her stomach dropped as she caught sight of the white that now shrouded her arms and shoulders. She was trapped.

As Zelda struggled madly against the webbing, the Gohma turned on her. Its gaze seemed to narrow as if relishing in its caught prey. Its clawed legs came down in front of it as it pulled itself closer to the blonde female.

"S-stay back," Zelda whimpered as it approached. Its legs pressed at either side of her body as the Gohma drew closer still. Now that its prey was trapped, there was no need to rush. It crawled on the wall above Zelda before more webbing began to appear. The scream in Zelda's voice caught as the Gohma crawled on top of her and something jabbed her in the side.

She couldn't move.

Her screams turned into sluggish moaning noises as more webbing began to appear and the Gohma's legs slowly began to handle her, turning her over and over, pulling her this way and that as it wrapped the white cocoon firmly around her. Zelda tried to fight back, but her body felt like lead and wouldn't respond. She soon lost sight of the monster as the webbing covered her eyes, her mouth, her nose. The turning soon stopped and Zelda was trapped.

Maybe it would be better to stop fighting. There was no way to get out of this. Not alive anyways. Nobody knew where she was and she couldn't outrun it forever… Blackness encroached on Zelda's consciousness as she felt the Gohma's pincers close in on her sides. She would lose consciousness soon, it wouldn't hurt… The pincers adjusted before tightening. _No,_ Zelda's mind began to scream as her previous fear returned. _NO!_

A burning pain lanced through her hand and pulsed through her body before forcing its way out. Screeching filled Zelda's ears and the pressure disappeared. Zelda fell from the webbing, the cocoon which bound her had disappeared. Zelda's gaze dropped to her hands. The mark of Wisdom on her right hand was burning; it had saved her. She muttered a quick prayer of thanks to her patroness, her body shaking with fear and exertion as the blue, crystalline structure disappeared from view. Off to her side, the Gohma was writhing, small puffs of black vapor coming off its body as it screeched in agony. Zelda staggered to her feet and forced herself to start moving away from the sight.

"Zelda!" a voice called before its owner drew closer. The voice took on a calmer tone, "Are you alright?" A gentle hand was offered to her.

Relief crashed over Zelda, threatening to leave her collapsed, as her gaze found calm blue. A sob slipped through Zelda's lips as she lunged forward, crashing into Link and burying her face into his chest. Warm arms enveloped her, holding her shaking form close.

"It's okay," Link whispered, smoothing her hair and pulling bits of stray webbing off. "I'm here now. You're safe. Let's get out of here." Zelda nodded as tears streamed down her face. They were still for a moment before she heard Link mutter, "Why isn't it working…?"

Zelda lifted her head to meet his gaze, but instead of voicing her confusion, a scream ripped from her throat.

In an instant she was falling back, and Link was on his feet, facing the Gohma. Horror stole Zelda's breath. Her mind felt frozen, unable to understand what was happening. Link… His arm… The Gohma had… She felt sick.

A dark grin formed on Link's face. "What's wrong? Can't get a good taste?" As if in response, the Gohma screeched and pressed forward, pushing Link backward. "Didn't think so," Link growled, pressing his right hand to the Gohma's face. A second later Link gave a bitter laugh, "Oh, yeah. Forgot… Zelda, run!"

Zelda sat, frozen. Run?

The Gohma's pincers closed in a death grip on Link's form, lifting him from the ground, pinning his arms together and forcing him closer to its mouth. Link braced his legs against the Gohma's large, blood stained teeth, refusing to enter. The Gohma squeezed harder, crushing the breath from the Hylian's lungs.

Blackness appeared around the Gohma, swarming as hundreds of baby monsters emerged, pressing toward the remaining Hylian.

Zelda's erratic heartbeat pounded against her ribs and in her head. There were so many… She couldn't think, she couldn't move. Now Link was going to get eaten by a Gohma. They were going to die here…

"Zelda!"

Satisfied with its hold on its first meal, the Gohma began to scuttle toward Zelda with frightening speed. Link yelled Zelda's name again, shouting for her to move repetitively, but she would only stare blankly at the giant arachnid as it descended upon her, its pincer-like front legs snapping.

When the Gohma was only feet away from her, Zelda shut her eyes, not wanting to see whatever would happen next. Pain shot through her leg, sending her flying back. When she hit the floor, Zelda began to scramble away, the pain screaming through her leg as it reawakened her senses. She began to wheeze, holding the gash in her thigh in a pitiful attempt to stop the bleeding. It was then she heard it.

A grunt.

A crack.

A screech.

Zelda's gaze snapped up in time to see Link rolling away from the Gohma. The said monster was writhing as black blood poured from the hole where one of its smaller pincers had been. The pale, yellow eye blinked furiously as the creature chased after Link. The blond man stood, tossing the pincer to the side. "I AM NOT LUNCH!" he roared at it as he threw something toward it. The Gohma howled, swallowing the tiny object as it tore a path toward its prey. As it came close, Link lunged to the side, dodging the claw-like appendages, but grunted as one of the Gohma's legs descended down on him, pinning him to the ground. It only held him for a moment before it started to screech in pain and writhed away.

Smelling fresh blood, the baby Gohma swarmed toward Zelda, their miniature pincers snapping and their legs clicking in anticipation against the floor. Snapping her attention to the spiders coming at her, the younger Hylian moved to flee. Zelda shakily stood, her leg crying in complaint as she tried to outrun them, but it was soon obvious she wouldn't lose them. Unable to hold her weight, Zelda's leg gave out, dropping her to the floor.

Zelda's breaths were coming out in painful gasps as the Gohma closed in. _No… I don't want to die here…_ Her eyes snapped shut again as she imagined what it would feel like if the ripping sensation from her leg consume her whole body as she was devoured.

The clacking suddenly turned to hissing before her until only the screeching of the mother Gohma could be heard. She dared to open her eyes again. Link was standing in front of her, swinging the Gohma's pincer like a blade while he sliced the last spiderling into black smoke.

Lightly panting, he looked at the writhing Gohma at the opposite side of the room. "It just had to be a mother," he muttered.

Finally finding her voice, Zelda squeaked, "Mother?"

Link offered her a smile. "Yeah, but we won't be seeing any more of those spiderlings." He came to stand at Zelda's side before looking to the Gohma again. "My magic isn't going to be any good," he mused before turning to Zelda. "You wouldn't happen to have something sharp on you, would you? Pencil? Butter knife? Anything?"

Zelda shook her head, staring at the black liquid dripping from the pincer, which had snapped in half after killing the last spiderling. She shivered, not wanting to look at it anymore; she forced herself to look up. Her gaze widened at the flowing red. "Link… your hands… you're…"

Acting as if he didn't hear her, Link spoke, "Right… Well, guess I have no choice." Before Zelda could say anything, the sub had slipped out of his coat and held it out to her. "Wear this."

Zelda blinked, confused.

Not waiting for her to react to his gesture, Link stooped and slipped her arms into the sleeves of his suit jacket. "You're bleeding," he mused before ripping the bottom of his shirt and bandaging her leg. Satisfied, he stood again, the remainder of his white work shirt clinging to his body with perspiration. "Wait here. I'll be back in a minute." He grinned before starting toward the Gohma.

Wait… He was walking toward the… Zelda's hands hit the ground as her mind began to function, "Link, no! What are you doing?!"

The Gohma staggered to its feet, black oozing from its mouth. It started toward Link, screeching angrily and clacking its pincers.

Link came to a halt.

He was just a few feet away from the beast.

Every fiber of Zelda's being screamed for her to do something, to stop Link from getting himself eaten, but she couldn't move, she couldn't speak.

At that moment, the beast lunged, its maw open wide. Link stood his ground.

Zelda felt her heart stop as the monster was once again on top of Link, its pincers crushing Link against its red-black teeth.

Tears began to roll down Zelda's cheeks once again. _No… _Link was going to die. Why did he…? What was she supposed to tell Aryll? Shaking, she forced herself to look at him.

He was… smiling?

Link's lifted his arm, pressing itself against the Gohma's face. "By Farore's power, be purified by the Light!"

The Gohma screamed as golden light erupted from the back of Link's hand and filled the room. Zelda gasped as a familiar burning sensation emanated from her own hand. In a matter of moments, the pain turned to a calming warmth as it resonated with the similar golden light in the room. The glow died away, leaving the imprinted mark of the Triforce showing on the back of her hand. She looked back to find Link standing alone in the center of the Gymnasium.

He turned toward her, shoving his hands into his pockets. Seeing her gaze on him, he grinned.

Zelda stared at him, dumbfounded. _That light… My Triforce…_ Zelda's eyes widened in realization. _He said…_ "You have a-"

The door burst open as a white-haired woman came rushing into the room. Her red eyes filled with relief as she caught sight of the Hylian female. "Zelda! You're alright!" She was at Zelda's side in an instant. The Sheikah woman paused as she recognized the jacket which was wrapped securely around her shoulders. Her gaze found Link. "What happened here?"

"Minor pest. I think it'd be best if Miss Hykarin were to receive medical attention."

Impa nodded before coaxing Zelda to her feet and guiding her toward her office. Link followed behind them in silence. Zelda kept turning back, staring at him, but he would only respond with reassuring smiles.

**…**

Zelda couldn't force her gaze away from Link even after arriving in the Nurse's office. After what had just happened, he was nearly eaten and he was smiling as if nothing had ever happened. When the golden light had faded from the room, the webbing on the walls, the black blood which had spotted the floor, and the monster had vanished as if it had never existed. She shivered at the thought. How could something so horrible and destructive disappear just like that? The only evidence that anything had transpired in that room were a few shattered areas on the floor and walls.

And Link… That light he had summoned, the way her hand had reacted to it. He was a Triforce Bearer. The Bearer of Courage. No wonder he knew so much about it.

"There you go, Zelda. How does that feel?"

"Huh? Oh. Much better, thanks." As soon as they had gotten to Impa's office, the white-haired woman wasted no time in bandaging up Zelda's wounds. She hadn't even noticed Impa working on her. Had she really been staring at Link for that long?

Impa nodded before turning her attentions to Link and ordering him to show his injuries. Seeing Zelda's gaze was still on him, Link gave a bright grin and shifted a bit before pulling his hands from his pockets and showing them to Impa. Not able to see what was happening, Zelda could only guess Impa's annoyed huff was directed at Link's bleeding hands. The nurse leaned closer to Link, exchanging brief words before she sighed and directed Link to wash his hands in the sink before she disappeared into the supply room. She came back a few moments later, bandage rolls and healing balm in her hands. One stern look at Link and he sat on the patient's cot next to Zelda's. After a few minutes of working silently, Impa stood and excused herself from the room.

**...**

"A Gohma?" Daltus asked incredulously. Just a few minutes ago he had been drawing up maps of monster clusters in the area that needed dispersing, defenses for the school, and the preparations necessary for a new member to be integrated into an ancient, secret society—normal activities for a prestigious Academy headmaster—when Impa entered with Daviane in tow for a quick debriefing. Now the room was sealed with a silence spell so their conversation would not be overheard. Impa stood near the door, her body standing in attention, listening for any sign of prying ears. Daviane, who had rushed to the school feeling something was amiss, was now sitting in one of the office's smaller chairs. Her posture was rigid and her mouth pulled down—she had been that way since Impa had announced Zelda had been attacked by a Gohma—but she remained strong and silent.

Impa nodded. "I was only able to speak with Link briefly, but that is his official report."

"A monster of that size and strength in the school… How did it get past our defenses so easily? Surely, a creature of that magnitude would've been noticed coming in. Though the monsters coming to the school have been increasing in strength and boldness… Perhaps our precautions are not enough?" Daviane posed.

Daltus muttered, "We do have all three Bearers within the confines of the school walls. It's only for natural creatures of darkness to be so drawn to this place. There's too much additional power here for the Aurea to contain."

Daviane nodded in agreement. "Yes, but a Gohma? That particular creature… It is an omen of terrible things to come, a warning of an oncoming war, an emblem of death and destruction, and a symbol of a growing darkness. "

"This wasn't a normal Gohma," Impa murmured.

Daviane regarded the Sheikah woman, concern in her eyes. "How so?"

"The monsters we've encountered until now were spawned in darkness; they lack an untainted form to be restored to and must be destroyed instead. However, Link claimed to have purified this creature." Daviane and Daltus exchanged incredulous looks. "I had the same feelings to this information. At first I didn't believe him… but then he gave me this." Impa raised her hand, palm up. In the center of her palm, a small, black spider lay dead, its legs curling in to its abdomen. "After purifying the beast, this is all that remained."

Stunned, Daviane queried, "Are you suggesting…?"

Impa nodded. "The base form. Which means this Gohma was created using Dark magic."

Daltus's eyes darkened. "It was planted?" he surmised.

Daviane took a deep breath. She was livid. This creature had been bewitched and been left alone to attack her only daughter. Someone had tried to hurt her baby and if she had anything to say about it, they weren't going to get away with it. And she had a lot to say about it. Fear and anger burned at her insides, but she forced herself to be calm. "Impa, are there any trace elements remaining on the spider?'

After a moment of studying the arachnid corpse, Impa nodded. "There are still traces of the dark magic left."

Daviane gave a fragile smile before turning to her husband. "Daltus, honey, I do believe it's time for Mr. Dragmire to take a vacation. I mean, accidents keep happening during his class period and his classroom is constantly falling into disrepair..."

"My darling, I do believe you're right."

**…**

Link flexed his bandaged fingers, getting accustomed to the stiff feeling. Sensing Zelda's gaze, he grinned at her. "You okay?"

Part of Zelda wanted to break down in hysterics at the question. "Am _I_ okay?" she asked, her churning emotions breaking through.

"That is what I asked…" he acknowledged, a cheerful tone in his voice.

She ignored him. "What about you? You just… You just battled a giant spider and you're acting like nothing's wrong, but I know something's wrong, I know you're hurt because your hands were all red and-"

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Link soothed, rising from his cot and approaching her. "Everyone's fine." His gaze leveled to meet hers as he continued, "I know this is a lot to take in for you—I remember it was overwhelming for me my first time too—but it's okay now. You're safe now."

Panic continued to churn within her, but Zelda nodded, gasping as she tried to breathe in a normal rhythm. Feeling the burning start in her eyes, Zelda lowered her head and pulled Link's suit coat closer to her body. "I know," she finally managed after a shaky breath. "I-I'm sorry…"

The cot creaked a little as Link's weight settled next to Zelda. "It's fine. You're in shock. A giant spider just tried to eat you and your substitute teacher did battle with it…" Link fell silent for a moment, suddenly in deep thought before he muttered, "I must've scared you half to death when I walked up to that thing… I think I should be apologizing to you."

Zelda finally looked him in the eyes, disbelieving. "Why?" His eyes were so soft, concern and remorse deep within them.

A nervous chuckle escaped him, his bandaged hand rubbing the back of his head. "I guess I didn't think of the way it'd look to you: me walking up to a Gohma, unarmed. Or… I don't know. I guess I forgot how freaky some of this stuff can get."

"You've been doing this for a while haven't you?"

Link nodded. "Yeah. I've been fighting monsters since I got my mark. They're attracted to the power it radiates."

_Mark? The Triforce…_ "Then why haven't they come after me? Before today, I've never seen another monster…"

"Wow, really? Man, I wish I had your luck," Link joked. At Zelda's unnerved look, he sighed, "Maybe they haven't had enough opportunities. Monsters aren't the brightest creatures, but they're not stupid. Maybe you were never alone often enough for them to approach you."

Zelda nodded slowly before eyeing him, concerned. "And you?"

He grinned. "Either they have plenty of opportunities, or the ones that go after me have a much lower IQ."

"You're alone?" Zelda asked, staring at him. It was just Link against all these creatures? Every time he was late to teach class... had he been attacked? When he claimed his car died, had he really been jumped?

Sensing Zelda's growing anxiety, Link gave another nervous laugh and waved his hands. "No, no. I'm not on my own. I… _We,_ I guess, have allies. I just choose to handle things by myself. Some of the things I do… most others can't."

There were others who knew? If there were non-Bearers working with Link, then… "Could I do it?"

"Well…"

"Could I?" Zelda pressed.

Link paused, mulling it over before nodding. "The Triforce has the ability to purify some monsters and tarnished areas. And, seeing how you have a piece… yes."

Understanding flooded Zelda's mind. "Link," Zelda spoke with a determined tone as she met his gaze. "I'm going to help you. We're going to beat Ganondorf and save Hyrule. Together." Surprise flicked through his eyes for a brief moment, but he remained silent. He held her gaze, azure on violet as he studied her. A resolute light filled Zelda's entire face. "I don't know how to fight. Heck, I hardly know what's going on, but I'm a Bearer and I'm going to help you."

He was silent for a moment before asking, "Are you scared?"

Zelda's chest constricted and she couldn't stop the waver from entering her voice as she answered, "That doesn't matter. I can do this." As she looked at Link's patient face, her throat became tight as if someone had gripped it and was beginning to squeeze, until she looked down and admitted, "Okay… Yes, I'm scared. But Link, not knowing anything scares me more…" There. She admitted it. She was afraid, a coward. Link knew it. He wasn't going to accept her help now after she said that. The thought made Zelda's eyes burn until she focused again on his face.

He was smiling.

His hand came to rest on Zelda's shoulder and he gave it a gentle squeeze. "You're really something else, Miss Hykarin. Voicing your fears so openly, so honestly… That takes a lot of guts. You're braver than you know, stronger too. I'm going to be relying on that strength from now on, partner."

Zelda grinned, feeling brave from Link's assurances, she said, "Zelda. If I'm going to be your partner, then it's okay to call me Zelda." Something about being partner with Link mad Zelda want to laugh. Whether it was from relief or the idea of it, she couldn't be sure. But they were connected; she could rely on him and he could rely on her; they were going to get through this together. She wouldn't have to be alone in this anymore.

"Alrighty then, Zelda," he grinned as he said her name, bringing butterflies to her stomach. "You have a million questions, I'm sure. I have to work until late tonight, but I think I'll have some open time tomorrow. Will you be okay until then?"

Zelda nodded. She would be stronger. He was counting on her. "Maybe before school?"

Link shook his head before leaning closer to whisper, "There are too many listening ears to overhear. We'll meet elsewhere."

Nodding again, Zelda turned to smile at him as he pulled away.

His smile faded as a pensive light overtook his gaze. "Zelda, coming into this is like a whole other world filled with monsters and such… If others were to find out about this… creatures living in modern day Hyrule, there would be a panic, which, of course would only cause the monsters' strength to increase…" He regarded his hands before giving her a solemn look. "I guess what I'm trying to say… This is a world of secrets. You can't share what you saw today, or what you may do in days to come with anyone. You can't tell your family, your friends—not even Midna and Aryll. Nobody can know…"

"Aryll and Midna already know I'm a Bearer… Is that a bad thing?"

Link shook his head. "Nah, they know about me too. But… Knowledge in this situation is dangerous. The more others know, the more monsters will notice and target them. The only way to protect them, from monsters and other, more darker things is to not tell them. If I had known that when I first started…" He shook his head and looked at Zelda again. "This won't be easy.. Monsters will seek you out. They'll try to take your life to get your Triforce. Some people—very twisted people—might seek you out as well. Your ignorance protected you somewhat, but now that you know, it's going to get a lot worse. But once you start working, either with me or our allies, you can never back out. Do you understand?"

"I'm a Bearer. I'm already part of this whether I want to be or not… And I'd rather be in the know rather than sitting back and waiting for someone else to solve my problems for me… I want to fight. I'm going to fight." Zelda forced the solemnity from her voice and turned to face Link, a smile on her face. "Besides, didn't we already cover this? We're in this together."

He smiled in response. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but was cut off as the door burst open and people began to swarm in. Link moved away as Daviane rushed to her daughter's side. "Zelda…" she breathed and brought her into a warm embrace, causing Link's coat to fall from her daughter's shoulders. "Thank Nayru you're alright… Are you alright? What happened?"

"She's alright, Daviane. Just as I told you," Impa affirmed, a patient tone in her voice as she followed the worried mother into the room. Daltus stepped in after her before going to stand by his wife's side. "The injury on her leg is a deep, but the puncture on her side isn't serious. She will recover quickly."

Zelda returned a comforting squeeze to her mother and gave a shaky smile to her father. Daltus reciprocated the gesture and gave her a brief squeeze of the shoulder before his gaze found Link and nodded. The said blond smiled in response before pulling his coat from Zelda's cot and slipping it on.

Metallic ringing reverberated through the school, bringing an end to classes. Daltus cleared his throat, "I'd better be going. I've got a few things to sort through. I'll finish up quick so we can get you home, sweetheart." Zelda nodded her consent and he squeezed her shoulder one last time before heading out of the room.

Daviane sat beside Zelda. "You okay, hon? What happened?"

"Um…"

"Zelda, we saw the Gym, are you okay?" Midna demanded as she slammed through the door. Aryll was right behind her. Both girls were still in their Gym uniforms and were panting from searching for their friend.

"Uh…"

Link spoke up. "I think they're doing a little construction in the Gym right now, but their tools weren't strong enough to do much work with the floor and walls." He smiled as he turned to Daviane. "Isn't that right?"

Zelda's brow furrowed. Why was he talking to her mom? Her jaw almost dropped in shock. Was her mom one of the allies he had mentioned…? But then… Why hadn't she said anything earlier?

Daviane nodded. "Yes, the repairs done on the hole in the wall weren't as well done as we liked, so Daltus decided he wanted to do a few more touch ups while they were at it."

"Right…" Midna said, disbelief coloring her tone.

"Link, what happened to you?" Aryll asked.

Confused, Link looked himself over. What was wrong with…? Oh… bandaged hands… That wasn't _normal_ normal was it? He chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head, all the while not looking his sister in the face. "Oh, funny story… I couldn't find my cell, so I went out to the car, but tripped on a curb and skinned my hands instead."

Midna shook her head, chuckling. "Only you, Link. Only you."

The blond Hylian laughed. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Only I'm that special." He brought his wrist up, checking his watch. "Well, I'd better get going. I've got a few things to wrap up before I head out to work." He turned to Aryll and Midna. "I'm not going right home after school, so-"

"We'll walk home," Aryll volunteered, watching her brother with a frustrated gaze. Midna shrugged in compliance. The Alavryn's household was located on the outer edges of town, but from the way Aryll looked, she had a feeling they would need the time to talk.

Link nodded before turning to Zelda. "You going to be alright?" She nodded and he reciprocated the gesture before sliding out of the room.

"So what happened?" Midna pressed as Link left the room.

"Uh… I, um… I hit my leg… and it got cut… Nothing big," she shrugged, trying to show her friends it wasn't a big deal.

Midna gave her a dumbfounded look. "Sheesh, when did you get like this? Did Link pass on his clumsiness onto you? I mean-"

"Owls?" Aryll asked, cutting Midna off in a light tone.

Zelda gave her blonde friend a confused look. "Owls…?"

"Yeah, will you need your owl notebook from your locker?"

_But I don't have a… Oh._ When Zelda had first had issues with her Triforce, she, Aryll and Midna had come up with code phrases they could say in public just in case her condition acted up. They hadn't used it often since, so Zelda had almost forgotten it. _Link told me not to tell them… But they're my friends. I've always been able to tell them…_ Zelda opened her mouth to speak before remembering Link's warning, _"The more others know, the more monsters will notice and target them. The only way to protect them, from monsters and other, more darker things is to not tell them_." She bit her lip before shaking her head. "No owls."

The lie felt bitter leaving her lips.

**…**

Daltus released a sigh as he leaned against his office door. Zelda was still alive, the school was still standing and the Austiora's location remained a secret… But Ganondorf knew the secret of the Charms…

The portly Headmaster returned to his chair behind his desk, the news he had just received from Link weighing heavy on his mind. There was nothing to be done about that at this point, but maybe it was for the best. Oracles allowing, Ganondorf would believe the lies as well as the truths.

Daltus cleared his throat as he began to prepare the speech he would give to Ganondorf to release him from his job. Temporarily, of course. The man was dangerous, but it would be worse to have him running loose. At least the Aurea could keep an eye on him as long as he was in the school. When Mr. Dragmire was given vacation time, Daltus would have to be sure to get eyes on him immediately.

His thoughts fell silent as his eyes snagged on a manila envelope. He frowned. That hadn't been there earlier…

**…**

After speaking briefly with Zelda, Aryll and Midna left to retrieve their things and start the trek home in silence. Neither had said a word since Zelda denied Aryll's owl comment, but both girls knew it was a blatant lie.

Irritation caused Midna to break the silence, "Why wouldn't she talk about it? Zelda's always talked about this kind of thing with us before… Why is she suddenly all freaked out and secretive?" She glared at a stray pebble as she kicked it. "I mean, I know it's her business and everything, but… still. Doesn't she trust us?"

"Something big happened…" Aryll paused before sighing. "Something happened and Link probably told her not to say anything."

Midna's brow quirked. "Huh? How do you know that?"

Aryll's big, cerulean eyes were distant and downcast. "Experience," she murmured before kicking the pebble back in front of her friend.

Silent understanding crossed Midna's face, causing her to face the ground again. "Oh. Right," she muttered. She kicked the pebble as it came into her path again. Instead of going back to Aryll's path as she had intended, the little rock tumbled off the sidewalk's edge and down a drain. The Twili frowned again, disappointed the little game was over.

Aryll mumbled, "Things are going to change now…"

At this, Midna laughed. "So what? We're all still best friends. Nothing is going to change that." When Aryll didn't respond to Midna's assurances, the Twili huffed and ran in front of her friend, forcing both of them to come to a halt. "Hey, knock that frown off your face; you're bumming me out and I don't bum that easily. Zelda's got a huge thing to deal with now and can't talk about it anymore. So what? We can still share the good times and be there when she needs us. We're still friends. Besides, I got a pair of problem pounding boots that bet we can follow her if she decides to go somewhere alone."

Aryll gave a weak laugh at the last comment. "Maybe… I guess you're right, Midna.

Midna grinned, "Of course I am. She just needs our friendship and support. She has Link, so we don't have to worry about her getting into too much trouble anymore, right?"

Aryll smiled and nodded. "Right."

"And they'll talk now. Can we count _Operation: Make Link and Zelda Friends_ as a success?"

The younger girl chuckled. "I'd say so."

Midna grinned. "Sweet," she said before the two friends lapsed into silence. Even after her pep talk, Midna wasn't convinced what she had said was true. They _were_ still friends and they _would_ still laugh together, but… it felt as if Zelda was going somewhere they really couldn't follow. After all, Zelda had Link to rely on now. He would take care of her. And, in the meantime, Midna and Aryll would wait. Midna hated the idea, but she would go along with, even if it meant they might not have Zelda as much anymore. Following that line of thought… "Hey, if nothing else, we'll still have each other," she offered as the Alavryn's house appeared at the end of the road.

"Now _that's_ a scary thought," Aryll laughed before running.

"Hey!" Midna grinned as she chased after her friend. "What's that supposed to mean?! Get back here and say that to my face!"

* * *

><p><strong>WhiteXIII:<strong> Aaaand that's all, folks! Drop a review to let me know what you think!

**Review**** Responses: **

_Maraya Prower:_ That's an interesting suggestion, but I kinda feel like if people want to know, then they could look up the characters on zeldapedia or something (that's why I did Character Indexes for so long). But it's also fun for me to allude to what they were and draw contrasts to what they are now.

_Magical Guest_: I'm glad you like it so much! What was your favorite part?

_Guest (Suspense):_ I'm glad you enjoyed it! What did you think of this last chapter?

_Zelink moments: _Thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked the chapter. What do you think Mala is up to?

_Woobieguygirl:_ Aww! Thanks! I'm glad you like this fic so much. Do you have a favorite moment? Any predictions?

_Chimpzrule:_ Thanks! I'm glad you like it.

_Guest('05):_ Wow. Seriously? That's insane. Is there just some sort of rule on fanfiction that LoZ highschool fics don't make it to the end? I guess I'll have to break that cycle. :P

_Silver:_ Aww. ^/^ "fell in love" that part made me really happy. I think Link thoughts on Zelda would be a great idea—thanks for the suggestion! I'll definitely have some of those coming up at some point. :D

REVIEW!


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